Details
A BROWN JADE ARCHAISTIC TRIPOD CUP
SONG/MING DYNASTY

The cylindrical cup incised around the centre of the body with a frieze of archaistic dragons on a mesh ground, a continuous band of petal panels around the base and a border of formal scrolls at the rim, the handle carved as a dragon, the legs carved as dragon heads, the stone of mottled greenish-brown tones with pale and and darker brown inclusions and streaks, with a smooth polish
4 3/8in. (11cm.) high, box
Exhibited
San Antonio Museum of Art, 1986
The Dayton Art Institute, 1989, no. 145

Lot Essay

Several other cylindrical tripod cups are recorded and are dated from Song to late Ming. The archaistic dragons on the central frieze are related in concept to the cup in the Palace museum, Beijing, illustrated in Guyu Jingsui, no. 98. and dated Ming dynasty. The dragon handle on the Godfrey Handle is unusual, other examples are commonly found with circular or scroll form handles. The dragon handle relates more closely to handles found on plain cups of the period.
An example with more naturalistic dragons spread over the entire body is illustrated in Chinese jades in the Avery Brundage Collection, plate XXXVI.

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