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Lot 59Y

A RARE ZITAN AND HUANGHUALI ARCHAISTIC 'CONJOINED BI' INK-STONE BOX AND COVER
Qianlong

Amended
Scholarly Gems from the Collection of Mr & Mrs Gerard Hawthorn
14 May 2025, 10:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £11,520 inc. premium

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A RARE ZITAN AND HUANGHUALI ARCHAISTIC 'CONJOINED BI' INK-STONE BOX AND COVER

Qianlong
The zitan cover deftly carved as two conjoined archaic bi discs with archaistic C scrolls and raised bosses, three chilong with bifurcated tails writhing and intertwined among the discs, the sides of the cover and box straight with a lipped mouth rim, the cover of dark-chocolate brown tone, the huanghuali box of lighter amber tone.
15cm (6in) wide. (2).

Footnotes

清乾隆 紫檀黃花梨螭龍紋雙連璧式盒

The design elements of the present lot offer a striking example of the Qianlong Emperor's refined aesthetic sensibility and his profound reverence for antiquity, showcasing his dedication to archaism as a guiding principle in both art and Imperial identity. Archaism, a trend that flourished during the Qianlong period, was driven by the Emperor's admiration for ancient Chinese culture, particularly the styles and motifs of the Neolithic, Shang, Zhou, and Han dynasties. The Qianlong Emperor famously sought to blend the grandeur of past artistic traditions with the vibrancy of his own reign, viewing the ancient past as a symbol of stability and continuity. The piece's use of bi discs — flat jade discs traditionally associated with ceremonial worship — further underscores this engagement with antiquity. Bi discs were first produced in the Neolithic period and continued to be crafted through the Shang, Zhou, and Han periods, symbolising the celestial realm and used in rituals. By incorporating the form of two conjoined bi, the present piece explicitly nods to this ancient tradition, evoking a sense of continuity with the past.

The design reflects a sophisticated understanding of the earliest forms of bi: conjoined bi discs, a rare and significant motif, that first appeared during the Warring States period and became especially prominent during the Han dynasty. A notable example of such conjoined bi is a jade piece excavated from the tomb of the Nanyue King in Guangzhou, Western Han dynasty, illustrated by Gu Fang, The Complete Collection of Jades Unearthed in China: vol.11 (中國出圖玉器全集：卷11), Beijing, p.72. This demonstrates how these discs were often paired in the ancient world. This particular form, seen in both the present lot and the Han example, conveys a sense of spiritual and cultural continuity that transcends time. The Qianlong Emperor's embrace of such archaic forms was not only an artistic preference but also a political gesture, affirming his legitimacy and wisdom by aligning his reign with the revered past. Thus, this piece exemplifies the fusion of artistic mastery, cultural heritage, and Imperial ideology that defined the Qianlong period's archaism. Compare with white jade conjoined rings, inscribed with a poem by the Qianlong Emperor, illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, 9, Beijing, 2011, no.226.

See a related zitan inkstone box and cover, 18th/19th century, which was sold at Christie's New York, 20 September 2013, lot 1587.

Saleroom notices

Please note that the lower section may be later. The Cover is Qianlong period as dated in the catalogue.

Additional information

Bid now on these items

A rare Chinese group of the Tyrolean Dancers, Qianlong period, circa 1752
FOUR CHINESE YIXING WARES Late Qing dynasty - 20th century
FIVE BURMESE AND THAI GILTWOOD FIGURES OF BUDDHA Late 19th/20th century
TWO JAPANESE CELADON GLAZED STUDIO CERAMICS
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Birodo Yuzen Meiji era (1868-1912)
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