16th-17th century

A tixi lacquer foliate-form tray. 16th-17th Century. Photo Bonhams Its shallow well and both sides of the curving walls carved in deep relief with a design of spirals and scrolls that reveal alternating layers of black and red lacquer above a pale colored lacquer guide layer, the recessed base and the foot coated with black lacquer, 14in (36.5cm) long - Sold for US$3,660 Bonhams. Fine Asian Art, 21 Jun 2011, San Francisco www.bonhams.com

A blue and white porcelain dish with phoenix and floral spray decoration. Ming Dynasty, 16th-17th Century. Photo Bonhams The deep dish surrounded on the exterior and interior walls with a band of lotus blossoms and leaf scrolls that repeat across the floor of the well in a roundel with opposing phoenix. 12in (30.5cm) diameter. Estimate: US$1,500 - 2,500 Bonhams. Fine Asian Art, 21 Jun 2011, San Francisco www.bonhams.com

        An important and extremely rare rhinoceros horn deer-form libation cup. Ming dynasty, 16th-17th century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2011 The hollowed cup superbly carved as a powerful full-bodied recumbent deer, its front talon-like feet contentedly crossed at the front below the chest which bears the four-character inscription, Tianlu yongchang, 'Eternal prosperity', its rear legs partially tucked beneath the body which is adorned with ruyi cloud-like swirls, the animal's head... [Lire la suite]

Imperial Rhinoceros Horn 'Dragon' Bowl Ming dynasty, 16th /17th Century. Photo: Sotheby's HONG KONG.- Sotheby’s Hong Kong Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Spring Sale Series 2011 will be held on 7 and 8 April, 2011 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Leading the season is a special Evening Sale, featuring a prestigious European collection of Chinese Art – The Meiyintang Collection – An Important Selection of Imperial Chinese Porcelains (see separate press release). Together with another private collection, a... [Lire la suite]

A fine and rare carved rhinoceros horn libation cup. 17th-18th Century. photo Bonhams Superbly carved in the form of an archaic bronze wine cup (jue), carved from one piece supported on three flared feet carved as the tongue and mask of mythical beasts setting off the flared body finely rendered in low relief with two body bands of decoration, the lower carved in sections with double-headed chilong, the upper with a fabulous split-tailed mythical bird, the bands heightened by a vertical flange at the pouring end... [Lire la suite]

A late 16th-early 17th century Dutch silver-gilt mounted "turban" shell nautilus cup and associated cover © 2002-2010 Bonhams 1793 Ltd Utrecht, date letter "K", possibly 1605, maker's mark three lozenges in a shield, for Eersten (Ernst) Jansz van Vianen, cover unmarked,the interior upper band applied with a salamander having a protruding tongue and attempting to lure a lobster opposite, the outer band engraved/etched with trailing foliage and a pierced and engraved stiff leaf and arc border below, the... [Lire la suite]

A rare and very fine carved rhinoceros horn Lotos-shaped water dropper, China, Ming dynasty, 16th-17th ct, photo courtesy Nagel of dark honey colour, naturalistically carved as an inverted lotus leaf, on the outside with delicately executed veins in relief as well as 2 lotus. L. 14,5 cm - Estimate €80 000 / 120 000 Note (German only): Vgl. 'The complete collection of treasures of the Palace Museum, Bamboo, wood, ivory and rhinoceros horn carvings', Hong Kong: The Commercial Press, 2002, pl. 115, ein sehr ähnlich... [Lire la suite]

A rhinoceros horn seal. Ming Dynasty, 16th-17th century. photo courtesy Sotheby's carved in the form of a recumbent xiezhi crouched on top of an oval-sectioned seal, its head raised and eyes gazing upwards, the body finely incised with stylized whorls depicting muscles, the seal face reading Huihao luozhi ru yunyan ('Paint brush landed on paper like misty cloud'); 4.3 cm., 1 3/4 in. Estimate 400,000—600,000 HKD. Lot Sold 2,420,000 HKD NOTE: The seal script is taken from a poem by the Tang dynasty poet Du Fu (712-770)... [Lire la suite]

Probably South German, late 16th-17th century, pendant with the Nativity. photo Sotheby's 94mm., 3 5/8 in. Est. ,000—8,000 GBP Lot Sold 9,375 GBP Sotheby's. Old Master Sculpture and Works of Art. 08 Jul 10. London www.sothebys.com

A fine champlevé enamel and gilt-bronze baluster wall vase. Late Qianlong. photo Bonhams Set to each side with applied archaistic gui dragon handles, the body of the vase decorated with raised archaistic champlevé enamel panels depicting confronted kui dragons contesting a flaming pearl, enamelled in a rich blue, turquoise, purple and yellow, the flat reverse pierced with a square aperture for attachment. 18.3cm (7¼in) high. Estimate: £15,000 - 20,000, HK$ 180,000 - 240,000 Provenance: A French private collection A large... [Lire la suite]