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A LARGE CELADON JADE 'CHILONG'-HANDLED CUP MING DYNASTY
Estimate
80,000 - 120,000 HKD
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Description
- Jade
carved in openwork with three chilong clambering on the sides, each detailed with a curling furcated tail, the two larger mythical beasts with their paws and heads resting on the rim to form the handles
Condition
There are shallow bruises and nicks to the edges and extremities of the cup, including the tips of the chilong's ears and the edges of their bodies. There are some small areas some possibly lightly polished to conceal an earlier nick. The cup is otherwise in overall good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
This piece belongs to a group of cups that were most probably not used as tableware, but instead as luxurious items that displayed their owner’s wealth. Indeed, the form and decoration of these cups would have made drinking highly impractical. Furthermore, Ming Wilson in Chinese Jades, London, 2004, p. 42, notes that among the large collection amassed by the corrupt minister Yan Song (1480-1565), and confiscated by the state when he fell from power, 311 objects were described as jade cups, evidence that they were considered ‘articles of great value that could be given as presents in lieu of gold and silver’.
A cup of this type, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures in the Palace Museum. Jadeware (II), Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 191; a green jade example, in the Tianjin Museum, Tianjin, is published in Jade Wares Collected by Tianjin Museum, Beijing, 2012, pl. 167; another cup was sold in these rooms, 11th December 1984, lot 76; and a further example was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 2nd October 1991, lot 1442.
A cup of this type, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures in the Palace Museum. Jadeware (II), Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 191; a green jade example, in the Tianjin Museum, Tianjin, is published in Jade Wares Collected by Tianjin Museum, Beijing, 2012, pl. 167; another cup was sold in these rooms, 11th December 1984, lot 76; and a further example was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 2nd October 1991, lot 1442.