A collection of rhinoceros horn sold @ Sotheby"s New York

A large rhinoceros horn libation cup. Qing dynasty, 18th century

of dark brownish-black tone, the horn finely carved to the exterior with a lone boatman on a rolling stream, beneath a mountain landscape with towering pine trees and swirling clouds, a large gnarled pine trunk and branches forming the handle at one end, the interior carved with a writhing qilong and swirling clouds, inscribed qi qiu xia ri, Bai Ye, with wood stand (2); length 7 3/8 in., 18.7 cm. Est. 15,000—20,000 USD. Lot sold 86,500 USD

PROVENANCE: Sotheby's New York, 13th December 1945, lot 232.

NOTE: Compare a cup of similar form and subject sold in our London rooms, 18th November 1998, lot 825.

An archaistic rhinoceros horn libation cup. Qing dynasty, late 17th / early 18th century

intricately carved in shallow relief around the exterior with a central band featuring two descending bats decorated with archaistic scrolling motifs, reserved on a detailed keyfret diaper ground, above a row of upright lappets, below a T-scroll border at the rim, the S-shaped handle with a clamoring qilong biting at the rim, confronting a smaller qilong situated inside the smoothly-carved interior, supported on a splayed waisted foot, the base with a four-character seal mark of the artist Yuan Shangqing Zhi ('Made by Yuan Shangqing') within a square, of reddish-chestnut color with a dark brown foot; length 6 1/4 in., 15.9 cm. Est. 30,000—50,000 USD. Lot sold 68,500 USD

NOTE: According to Jan Chapman in The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London, 1999, p. 141, there are four known cups by Yuan Shangqing. A rare ewer and cover illustrated op.cit., p. 141, bearing a dingwei cyclical date that Chapman attributes to either 1667 or 1727, provides a clue as to the artist's dates. A libation cup bearing the four-character seal mark of Yuan Shangqing was sold in our London rooms, 24th April 1987, lot 285.

A carved rhinoceros horn full-tip libation cup. Qing dynasty, late 19th century

boldly carved with figures of Immortals and monkeys, some holding and plucking peaches from pendent branches, two deer and a crane resting beneath paulownia and pine trees, surrounded by lush arrangements of prunus flowers, lingzhi fungus, and bamboo, the rim bordered by scrolling clouds, the horn of light brown-caramel color; length 23 in., 58.4 cm. Est. 20,000—30,000 USD - Lot sold 60,000 USD

An archaistic rhinoceros horn libation cup. Qing dynasty, Kangxi period

of slightly squared section, the body carved with a wide band of large taotie masks against a leiwen ground, below a keyfret border and a band of cicada wings at the rim, all above the slightly splayed foot, the flattened handle below a qilong reaching up and biting the rim, the horn of deep brown tone; length 6 in., 15.2cm. Est. 8,000—12,000 USD - Lot sold 43,750 USD

PROVENANCE: Sotheby's New York, 13th December 1945, lot 226.

Rhinoceros horn libation cup. Qing dynasty, 17th / 18th century

carved on the exterior with various birds including a phoenix and a crane, all amidst rockworks and various flowers including lotus, peonies, prunus flowers, and zinnias, the openwork handle formed by flowering branches, the horn of chestnut-brown tone, with wood stand (2); length 5 3/4 in., 14.6 cm. Est. 6,000—8,000 USD - Lot sold 43,750 USD

PROVENANCE: Sotheby's New York, 13th December 1945, lot 226.

A rhinoceros horn 'magnolia' libation cup. Qing dynasty, 17th / 18th century

the warm honey-colored material naturalistically carved in the form of an open magnolia flower, borne on a gnarled leafy stalk issuing further smaller buds around the vessel and forming a short foot to the base, the handle in the form of a qilong dragon clambering across a gnarled stem; length 4 3/4 in., 12.1 cm. Est. 6,000—8,000 USD - Lot sold 35,000 USD

A rhinoceros horn fly-whisk. Late Qing dynasty

the handle of the fly-whisk elaborately carved with a gnarled branch blossoming with prunus flowers and buds, bordered by a diaper ground, the lower part of the handle inscribed feng shuang gao jie and mei yi shan ren; length 11 3/8 in., 28.8 cm. Est. 4,000—6,000 USD - Lot sold 21,250 USD

A small rhinoceros horn cane. Qing dynasty

the horn carved from the slender base, flaring gently upward toward the rounded petite handle, of honey-brown color with thick darker striations, fitted silver cap on the tip; length 29 3/4 in., 75.6 cm. Est. 5,000—7,000 USD - Lot sold 13,750 USD

Two rhinoceros horn belt-buckles. Late Qing dynasty

the rectangular plaques left plain but for the central oval carnelian inlays, both carved with fruits and flowers (2); length 2 in., 5.1 cm. Est. 3,000—5,000 USD - Lot sold  7,500 USD

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. 16 Sep 09. New York. photos courtesy Sotheby's www.sothebys.com