Lot 470. An archaistic rhinoceros horn libation cup, 17th-18th century;  13.2cm (15¼in) wide. Estimate: £8,000 - 12,000, HK$ 98,000 - 150,000, USD 13,000 - 19,000. Sold for £ 52,800 (€ 59,877). Photo courtesy Bonhams

Carved in the form of an archaic vessel, yi, with a central band enclosing taotie masks against a key-fret ground, with key-fret borders at the rim and foot, the openwork handle in the form of two chilong clambering up over the rim, the horn of a rich honey tone.

Provenance: a Scottish private collection. According to family tradition, it was acquired by the present owner's great-grand-father, a painter and art collector, circa 1900.

The present libation cup belongs to a group of rhinoceros horn carvings which draw their inspiration from archaic bronze vessels. The trend in the collection and appreciation for archaic bronze vessels, which dated from as early as the eleventh century, led to the printing and distribution of illustrated pattern books, which allowed craftsmen to reproduce the motifs and patterns of ancient bronzes, such as key-fret border and taotie masks, see J.Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London, 1999, p.148. A related libation cup in the Staatliches Museum für Völkerkunde in Museum, similarly carved with taotie masks against a key-fret diaper around the body, and with high-relief dragon handles is illustrated in ibid, p.152, fig.184.

Lot 471. A rare archaistic rhinoceros horn libation cup, 17th-18th century; 6cm (2¼in) high. Estimate: £10,000 - 15,000, HK$ 120,000 - 180,000, USD 16,000 - 24,000. Sold for £ 85,200 (€ 96,620). Photo courtesy Bonhams

The cup of deep conical form on a crisp spreading foot, carved in crisp shallow relief around the central part with a horizontal band of two taotie masks, one side with a handle formed as a pad-footed chilong dragon poking its head over the rim.

The Property of an English Collector

Bonhams. Fine Chinese Art, 11 Nov 2010  New Bond Street