Lot 1716. A rare and exquisitely carved rhinoceros horn lotus-leaf shaped waterdropper, Ming dynasty, 17th century, signed Zhi Sheng; 6 7/8 in. (17.5 cm.) across. Weight: 9.7 oz. (274.5 gm.). Estimate HKD 4,000,000 - HKD 5,000,000. Price Realized: HK$8,167,500 ($1,051,182). © Christie's Images Ltd 2008

The main receptacle is naturalistically modelled as a large inverted lotus leaf, finely detailed around the exterior with a pair of butterflies in flight above twin lotus blooms, a long blade of grass, and further curled lotus leaves, all borne on the long stems, curving up to one side joining the large, well-hollowed central stem which forms a pouring spout, its slender channel connected to a hole in the center of the interior, the interior of the cup with a praying mantis climbing over a long bladed leaf, the side of the cup with the maker's sealmark Zhi Sheng in shallow relief within a raised circular border, the tone of the material shading from a rich deep honey colour to almost blackish-brown on the exterior, and reddish-brown on the interior, box. 

Provenance: Edward T. Chow Collection

Literature: Edward T. Chow, One Man's Taste, pl. no.12
T. Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 152, no.102
World Journal New York, 2003, pl. no.993

Exhibited: Hong Kong Museum of Art, Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth: Gems of Antiquities Collections in Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2002-2005, illustrated in the Catalogue, p. 89, no. 69

Note: Previously sold at Sotheby's London, 18 November 1998, lot 824.

The present cup is one of the finest examples by the well-known carver You Kan, a native of Wuxi in Jiangsu province who excelled in rhinoceros horns, ivory, jade and bamboo carvings. His designation or hao is Zhi Sheng. Many of his works bear two seals of the artist carved in relief; a circular one with his adopted name, Zhisheng, and a square one with his given name. You Kan is believed to be the rhinoceros horn carver by the name of You Xibei, who was believed to have worked as a rhinoceros carver in the imperial workshop during the Kangxi reign, cf. Zhongguo meishujia renming cidian, Shanghai renmin meishu chubanshe, p. 29.

The carving on the cup is exceptional in its superb quality, naturalistic detail and subject-matter. A related rhinoceros horn waterdropper with a very similar composition of lotus leaves and insects in the Shanghai Museum collection, bearing a 'You Kan' sealmark within a square, is illustrated by T. Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 151, no.101. A similar example without a mark from the Ruth Dreyfus and Arthur M. Sackler Collections was sold at Christie's New York, 1 December 1994, lot 38.

A rhinoceros horn waterdropper with a similar round 'Zhi Sheng' sealmark is the Chester Beatty Library collection, Dublin, and the mark is illustrated by J. Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London, 1999, p. 139, pl. 154. In her discussion of this rare form, the author notes that the present example is one of only ten known examples and "is certainly high enough quality to merit the description of 'palace piece'."

As well as the four signed pieces by You Kan from the Dr Ip Yee Collection, now in the Palace Museum, Beijing, five other rhinoceros horn carvings signed by You Kan have been sold at auction including, most recently, a log raft from the collection of Kenyon V. Painter sold at Sotheby's New York, 21 September 2006, lot 8.

For an explanation on how the carver worked the rhinoceros horn in order to bend the spout, refer to T. Fok, op. cit., Hong Kong, 1999, p. 29.

Christie's Hong Kong. Important Chinese Rhinoceros Horn Carvings from the Songzhutang Collection. 27 May 2008