A Carved Rhinoceros Horn 'Blossom and Qilong' Libation Cup. 17th Century

The floriform cup with exterior carved with a qilong climbing interlaced budding magnolia branches which twine to form the openwork foot, the side incised sheng gao and bo hong, which may be translated as 'raise high' and 'great uncle', of a warm honey-brown tone shading to medium-dark brown at the foot - height 3 1/8 in., 8 cm - Estimate: 15,000—20,000 USD

PROVENANCE : Private Midwestern Collection.
Thereafter with the present owner.

NOTE : A cup of comparable scale and form, with similar treatment of the branches and buds in relief and a foot formed of twined branches, first recorded in 1656, from the Collection of John Tradescant, now in the collection of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, is illustrated in Jan Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London, 1999, no. 337, p. 234. Chapman also notes the form of such cups are reflected in 17th century blanc de chine examples, ibid, pp. 236-237.

Compare also a magnolia blossom-form cup, carved with magnolia buds, sold at Christie's London, 1st December 1997, lot 83; a similar cup, sold in our London Olympia rooms 14th November 2002, lot 370; and a cup with similar treatment of a qilong climbing up the exterior, sold in these rooms, 21st September 2006, lot 7.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art including Chinese and Japanese Art from The Collection of Frieda and Milton Rosenthal. 16 Sep 08. www.sotheby's.com