A 17th century rhino horn libation cup with carved animal decoration
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Property from Another Owner
A rhinoceros horn 'animal subject' libation cup
17th century
Relief carved on the exterior with a continuous scene of animals punctuated by a whimsical figure of an anthropomorphic monkey or gibbon gesturing skyward with a stick, other animals include a stag, a recumbent deer, a rabbit, two three-legged toads, a crane and a magpie all evenly dispersed amidst rocky cliffs with the Three Friends of Winter above them, the handle formed by a spear-form cliff and a pine tree trunk, the reticulated foot ring of rock-form; the horn of pale honey tone shading to brown at the center.
5 1/16in (12.8cm) long
Estimate:
US$ 40,000 - 60,000
£26,000 - 38,000
€30,000 - 45,000

Footnotes

  • Compare to a cup carved with a similar anthropomorphic animal subject cup in the Osaka Municipal Museum of Art (Casal Collection 867), illustrated by Jan Chapman in The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, (London, 1999), p.182, fig. 241

Category: Asian Art


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Angela Lee Bonhams
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Auction Administration - Asian Art