Finely carved around the exterior with pairs of cranes, phoenix, magpies, sparrows, and mandarin ducks, all amidst landscape with bamboo, prunus and pines with two gnarled pine trees forming the handle, the horn of rich caramel-brown tone.

Provenance:  a Scottish private collection

Note: Pairs of birds represent the auspicious wishes for fertility as well as for happiness in marriage, which is the particular symbolism of the pair of mandarin ducks. Related rhinoceros horn libation cups carved with cranes and phoenix in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, are illustrated by J.Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London, 1999, p.187.

A similar rhinoceros horn 'auspicious birds' libation cup, 18th century, was sold in these rooms, 10 November 2011, lot 440.