Lot 91. A fine Confucius-style 'pianqiu' lacquered qin, Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279); Overall 121.8cm (47 3/4in) long, shoulder 19.5cm (7 3/4in) wide, tail 14cm (5 1/2in)wide. Estimate HK$ 1,500,000 - 1,800,000 (€ 170,000 - 200,000). © Bonhams 2001-2021

Of Confucius-style form, the slightly domed body with two waisted section on both side, the black-lacquered surface finely crackled into small shefu (shefu) lines, the top inlaid with thirteen mother-of-pearl studs (hui), the reserve above the longchi (dragon pool) incised and infilled with cinnabar lacquer with two-character name reading pianqiu (A leaf of the autumn), the area underneath fengzhao (phoenix pool) incised with Jiajing marks reading jiajing sishisannian bayue zao guxianlv ([This qin] of Guxian tone made in August at the 43rd year of the Jiajing's reign), corresponding to 1564, and followed with a seal reading zhengfu zhibao (The Treasure of Princely House of Zheng), the seven pegs (zhen) and two geese feet (yanzu) of pale-celadon jade, bag.

Provenance: The Yanqinzhai Collection, Hong Kong.

Exhibited: The University Museum and Art Gallery, Gems of Ancient Chinese Zithers: Shum's Collection of Ancient Qin from the Last Millennium, University of Hong Kong, 14th October-5th December 1998
The Chang Foundation Museum, The Ancient Chinese Zither(Qin), Taipei, 2000.

Published and Illustrated: B. Yung, Gems of Ancient Chinese Zithers: Shum's Collection of Ancient Qin from the Last Millennium, Hong Kong, 1998, p.15, pl.18
Taipei Municipal Chinese Classical Orchestra and The Chang Foundation ed., The Ancient Chinese Zither(Qin), pp.80-81.

Note: Its slightly domed and flattened body has strong characters of qins in Song Dynasty called Songbian (flattened Song Dynasty style) by connoisseurs. Compare with a Confucius-style 'Yuhubing' qin, Southern Song Dynasty, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, which is illustrated by M.Z. Zheng in the Guqin in the Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, 2010, pl. 7; compare also with a closely related Confucius-style qin, Southern Song Dynasty, in the Palace Museum, see ibid, pl.10.

Bonhams. Elegant Gatherings.The Social Art of Chinese Scholars, Hong Kong, 2 Dec 2021