Lot 172. A rare carved jade powder horn with brass leopard mount, India, Jaipur, 18th century. Estimate 15,000 — 20,000 USD. Lot sold 40,000 GBP. © Sotheby's.

the jade body carved as an ibex with brass and enamelled mounts designed as a leopard in an attack position with two hinged hooks, custom stand, 12cm.  

Provenance: Ex-collection Daniel Pasgrimaud, Paris.

Note: This finely carved jade powder horn, or priming flask, delicately uses the two natural tones of the jade to enhance its design. The tapering, darker end features the head of an ibex, recognizable by its two long twisted horns, from whose mouth the powder would pour. It is being attacked by a leaping leopard activated by a lever to open and close. Derived from similar models made of natural horn or ivory, jade examples are rarer. Comparables are in the National Palace Museum of Taipei, lieh 359.34 and kuyu 2743 (Taipei 1983, nos. 69 and 70), the Louvre Museum, Paris (inv.nos. R437 and R436), the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (inv. no. 02585(IS)), as well as the Al Thani collection (Jaffer 2013, no .26, p.100).

Corne à poudre, Inde, 17ème siècle. Jade. Paris, musée du Louvre, R436. Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (musée du Louvre) / Franck Raux

Corne à poudre, Inde, 17ème siècle. Jade. Paris, musée du Louvre, R437. Photo © Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Hughes Dubois.

A priming flask, greenish grey nephrite jade, lion's and ibex's heads, gold and rubies, Mughal empire, 18th century, formerly in the Guthrie collection, 02585(IS) © Victoria and Albert Museum, London 2017.

Sotheby's. Arts of the Islamic World, London, 25 oct. 2017, 10:30 AM