Ingeniously carved with six stylised lotus petals forming the body, each enclosing a pair of confronted archaistic chilong on a dense ground of key-frets, above stiff leaves on the recessed foot, the openwork handle intricately formed with clusters of scrolling tendrils interspersed with lotus blossoms.

Provenance:  Robert Everts (1875-1942), Belgian Ambassadorial Envoy to Beijing from 1910 to 1916 and again from 1920 to 1924, and thence by descent.

Note: The design of archaistic scrolls around the exterior combined with floral handles is very rare. A rhinoceros horn libation cup, 18th century, of similar shape but with a design of lotus around the exterior and no handle is illustrated by T.Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong, 1999, p.174, no.124. 

Compare with a related rhinoceros horn libation cup, 17th century, similarly carved in foliate form decorated with archaistic motifs, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 30 November 2011, lot 2910.

Lot 307. A rare archaistic rhinoceros horn libation cup, jue, 17th-18th century, 13.6cm (5 3/8in) wide. Estimate £20,000 - 30,000 (€24,000 - 36,000). Photo: Bonhams.

Carved in the form of an archaic bronze wine vessel, jue, the flaring lips flanked by two upright posts, carved in relief with three pairs of sinuous chilong in confrontation on a dense interlocking leiwen ground, separated by a small loop handle issued by two beast masks, raised on a U-shaped body with two lobed cartouches each enclosing a further chilong on waves, bordered by geometric bands

Provenance:  Robert Everts (1875-1942), Belgian Ambassadorial Envoy to Beijing from 1910 to 1916 and again from 1920 to 1924, and thence by descent.

Note: For a related rhinoceros horn libation cup carved in imitation of Shang and Zhou dynasty wine vessels or jue, also decorated with a leiwen ground, mid-Qing dynasty, see The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Bamboo, Wood, Ivory, and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, Beijing, 2001, pl.205; another example, late 17th century, is illustrated by T.Fok in Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong, 1999, no.8.

Compare with a similar archaistic rhinoceros horn libation cup, jue, 17th/18th century, but with longer feet, which was sold in these rooms, 10 November 2011, lot 437.

Lot 308. A rhinoceros horn 'prunus' libation cup, 17th-18th century, 12cm (4 3/4in) wide. Estimate £8,000 - 12,000 (€9,500 - 14,000). Photo: Bonhams.

Intricately carved to the exterior of the tree trunk with entwining twigs around the exterior bearing delicate prunus blossoms and flower buds, all issued from a gnarled tree branch detailed with burls forming the handle.

Provenance:  Robert Everts (1875-1942), Belgian Ambassadorial Envoy to Beijing from 1910 to 1916 and again from 1920 to 1924, and thence by descent.

Note: Compare with a similar rhinoceros horn 'prunus' libation cup, illustrated by J.Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London, 1999, p.169, no.214.