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Lot 43

A BAMBOO 'PRUNUS' LIBATION CUP
17th/18th century

14 May 2025, 10:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £4,096 inc. premium

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A BAMBOO 'PRUNUS' LIBATION CUP

17th/18th century
The exterior naturalistically carved to emulate a section of a prunus tree trunk, carved in high relief with gnarled, blossoming, and leafy prunus branches encircling the body, the handle to one side designed as a gnarled branch emerging from the base, the bamboo of a rich caramel-brown tone.
9cm (3 1/2in) wide.

Footnotes

十七/十八世紀 竹雕梅樁紋杯

The plum blossom is a powerful symbol of strength, virtue, hope, and renewal in Chinese culture. Plum blossoms bloom in the harsh winter, often before the arrival of spring. Their ability to flourish despite the cold represents inner strength, perseverance, and unwavering determination. In Confucian thought, the plum blossom serves as a metaphor for scholars and individuals who uphold their principles despite hardships. As exemplified in the present lot, this motif is a recurring theme in various forms of Chinese art.

See a related bamboo 'prunus' libation cup, Kangxi, illustrated by S.Kwan, Ming and Qing Bamboo, Hong Kong, 2000, no.60. See also a similar bamboo 'prunus' libation cup, 17th/18th century, which was sold at Bonhams London, 7 June 2021, lot 584.

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