Wang Hui (1632-1717), Songshan Cottage

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Hanging scroll, Ink and colour on paper, Songshan Cottage, Wang Hui

Wang Hui (1632-1717), Songshan Cottage. Estimate HK$ 1.9 million – 2.9 million (€200,000 – 300,000). Photo Bonhams

Ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll. Inscribed and signed Gengyan Sanren Wanghui, with five seals of the artist and three seals of the collectors. Dated yiwei year (1715); 82cm x 42.5cm (32¼in x 16¾in).

Published: Yiyuan Duoying, Vol.61, Shanghai Renmin Meishu Chubanshe, Feb 1998, p.29, plate 22
Zhao Ping ed., Wanghui Nianpu, Jilin Renmin Chubanshe, 2008, p.148

BONHAMS. FINE CHINESE PAINTINGS AND CONTEMPORARY ASIAN ART, 23 Nov 2014 14:30 HKT – HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY

A pair of fine huanghuali horseshoe armchairs, China, 17th century

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17th Century, horseshoe armchair, huanghuali

A pair of fine huanghuali horseshoe armchairs, China, 17th century. Estimate 20 000 €. Photo Nagel

Flat, square hard seat on corner legs with a frontal carved apron, strechers and foot rest; the curved back rest on posts and a back panel with carved dragon medallions. H. 100 cm. Minor rest.

For a discussion on horseshoe-back armchairs, see. R. H. Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture: Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch’ing Dynasty, New York, 1971, pp. 86-87, and Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, Hong Kong, 1990, pp. 43-45

Examples of this popular form in huanghuali include a pair with carved ruyi heads on the splats, illustrated by Wang Shixiang and Curtis Evarts in Masterpieces from the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, Chicago and San Francisco, 1995, p. 56, no. 26, and later sold at Christie’s New York, 19 September 1996, lot. 99; another pair sold at Christie’s New York, 21 March 2014, lot 2247. A single huanghuali horseshoe-back armchair, carved in similar fashion, is illustrated by R. H. Ellsworth Chinese Furniture: One Hundred Examples from the Mimi and Raymond Hung Collection, New York, 1996, pp. 68-9; no. 14, where it is dated to the late Ming dynasty, ca. 1600-1650. See, also, the 17th century pair of huanghuali horseshoe-back armchairs with carved sold at Christie’s New York, 15-16 September 2011, lot. 1335.

Nagel. « Asian Art ». Sale 717, 2014/12/08

A pair of fine huanghuali armchairs, China, late Ming dynasty

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armchair, huanghuali, late Ming dynasty

A pair of fine huanghuali armchairs, China, late Ming dynasty. Estimate 60 000 €. Photo Nagel

Flat, square soft mat seat on corner legs with straight aprons, strechers and foot rest; the curved back rest on posts and a back panel with carved floral medallions. H. 97 cm. Minor rest

Provenance: Private collection Rhineland, purchased from the ‘The Ashwood Gallery’, Hongkong, 1989

For a discussion on horseshoe-back armchairs, see. R. H. Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture: Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch’ing Dynasty, New York, 1971, pp. 86-87, and Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, Hong Kong, 1990, pp. 43-45

Examples of this popular form in huanghuali include a pair with carved ruyi heads on the splats, illustrated by Wang Shixiang and Curtis Evarts in Masterpieces from the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, Chicago and San Francisco, 1995, p. 56, no. 26, and later sold at Christie’s New York, 19 September 1996, lot. 99; another pair sold at Christie’s New York, 21 March 2014, lot 2247. A single huanghuali horseshoe-back armchair, carved in similar fashion, is illustrated by R. H. Ellsworth Chinese Furniture: One Hundred Examples from the Mimi and Raymond Hung Collection, New York, 1996, pp. 68-9; no. 14, where it is dated to the late Ming dynasty, ca. 1600-1650. See, also, the 17th century pair of huanghuali horseshoe-back armchairs with carved sold at Christie’s New York, 15-16 September 2011, lot. 1335

Nagel. « Asian Art ». Sale 717, 2014/12/08

Dong Qichang (1555-1636), Calligraphy After Yang Ningshi

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Calligraphy, Calligraphy After Yang Ningshi, collection of Shen Weiqiao, collection of Shen Zengzhi, Dong Qichang, handscroll, ink on paper, Wu Hufan

Dong Qichang (1555-1636), Calligraphy After Yang Ningshi. Estimate HK$ 1.5 million – 2.5 million (€160,000 – 260,000). Photo Bonhams

Ink on paper, handscroll. Inscribed and signed Dong Qichang, with two seals of the artist. Title slip inscribed by Shen Zengzhi (1850-1922). Colophon inscribed by Wu Hufan (1894-1968) with two seals, dated yimao year (1915). Calligraphy 45cm x 907.5cm (17¾in x357in), Colophon 45cm x 32cm (17¾in x 12½in).

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Shen Weiqiao (1778-1849)
Formerly in the collection of Shen Zengzhi (1850-1922)

BONHAMS. FINE CHINESE PAINTINGS AND CONTEMPORARY ASIAN ART, 23 Nov 2014 14:30 HKT – HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY

Ni Yuanlu (1593-1644), Calligraphy

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Calligraphy, Hanging scroll, Ink on satin, Ni Yuanlu

Ni Yuanlu (1593-1644), Calligraphy. Estimate HK$ 5 million – 6 million (€520,000 – 620,000). Photo Bonhams

Ink on satin, hanging scroll. Inscribed and signed Yuanlu, with two seals of the artist and two seals of the collector; 130cm x 44cm (51¼in x 17½in).

BONHAMS. FINE CHINESE PAINTINGS AND CONTEMPORARY ASIAN ART, 23 Nov 2014 14:30 HKT – HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY

A fine carved rhinoceros wine cup with nine chilong, China, 16th-17th century

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16th-17th century, chilong, rhinoceros horn, wine cup

A fine carved rhinoceros wine cup with nine chilong, China, 16th-17th century. Estimate 30 000 €. Photo Nagel

L. 18 cm – Few small filled age cracks and few small filled chips

Property from an old Bavarian private collection, bought in Germany in the 1970’ies

The form of the present carving is based on ritual vessels of the Western Zhou dynasty (c. 1100-771 BC), such as the bronze yi sold at Christie’s New York, 21 September 2000, lot 167. While the ancient bronze prototypes typically have four short legs rather than an oval foot, many of the later Ming and Qing interpretations of the form in jade and rhinoceros horn carvings have dispensed with the legs in favour of a stepped foot. Compare the form an characteristic broad curved spout with a rhinoceros horn libation cup in the Qing Imperial collection, illustrated in Bamboo, Wood and Ivory Carvings, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 2002, vol. 44, p. 152, no. 134 (see fig. 1). The Palace Museum example bears the mark of the carver, Hu Xingyue, and is dated to the late Ming period – Cf. Thomas Fok, ‘Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China’, no. 2

Nagel. « Asian Art ». Sale 717, 2014/12/08

A superb carved rhinoceros wine cup with eight chilong and one phoenix in archaic style, China, 17th century

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17th Century, chilong, Erich Mansfeld, Phoenix, rhinoceros horn, wine cup

A superb carved rhinoceros wine cup with eight chilong and one phoenix in archaic style, China, 17th century. Estimate 40 000 €. Photo Nagel

L. 18,2 cm – Very slightly chipped, few small restored chips

Cf. Thomas Fok, ‘Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China’, no. 20

Property from the collection of Erich Mansfeld (2.11.1867 – 21.11.1943), German colonel in Tsingtao, a family member of the present owner, he was stationed in China from April 1st, 1897 to July 9th, 1900 in the 4th Hannover Infantry Regiment no. 164 as lieutenant colonel.

Nagel. « Asian Art ». Sale 717, 2014/12/08

Anonymous, Duck in the Autumn Landscape

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Duck in the Autumn Landscape, Hanging scroll, Ink and colour on silk

Anonymous, Duck in the Autumn Landscape. Estimate HK$ 300,000 – 400,000 (€31,000 – 42,000). Photo Bonhams

Ink and colour on silk, hanging scroll. With two seals of the collector; 46cm x 47.5cm (18in x 18¾in).

Provenance: formerly in the collection of Lin Qingni (1914-2002)

BONHAMS. FINE CHINESE PAINTINGS AND CONTEMPORARY ASIAN ART, 23 Nov 2014 14:30 HKT – HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY

After Qian Guangfu (Song Dynasty), Fishes and Waterweeds

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After Qian Guangfu, Fishes and Waterweeds, Ink on silk

After Qian Guangfu (Song Dynasty), Fishes and Waterweeds. Estimate HK$ 200,000 – 300,000 (€21,000 – 31,000). Photo Bonhams

Ink on silk, mounted; 25cm x 30cm (9(9¾in x 12in).

Exhibited:The Aesthetics of Change, Kaikodo, New York, 18 March to 18 April 2007

Published: Cheng Qi, Xuanhuitang Shuhualu, Xuanhuitang, Hong Kong, 1972
Kaikodo Journal XXIII, Kaikodo, New York, Spring 2007, plate 2

BONHAMS. FINE CHINESE PAINTINGS AND CONTEMPORARY ASIAN ART, 23 Nov 2014 14:30 HKT – HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY

An Imperial moulded gourd medallion bowl, China, Shangwan mark and period of Kangxi

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'Medallion' bowl, Imperial moulded gourd, Shangwan mark and period of Kangxi

An Imperial moulded gourd medallion bowl, China, Shangwan mark and period of Kangxi. Estimate 20 000 €. Photo Nagel

D. 13,2 cm – Few tiny chips to rim

The rounded sides supported on a short foot rising to a slightly everted rim, the exterior crisply moulded with five medallions interspersed with meandering scrolled, all between key-fret borders encircling the mouthrim and foot, the interior lacquered black, the naturally formed underside moulded with a four-character reign mark Kangxi shangwan (‘Appreciated by the Kangxi Emperor’), the gourd of a warm honey-brown tone

A major period of development in the moulding of gourds started when the Kangxi emperor commissioned gourd vessels to be made in the Palace Workshop which transformed what was originally a folk art into an imperial art form. For a detailed discussion of the early history of moulded imperial gourds see Wang Shixiang, ‘Moulded Gourds’. Gugong Bowuyuan yuankan, 1979, no. 1, pp. 86-91, translated by Craig Clunas in Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society, no. 10, 1981 pp. 16-30 – Compare a bowl, in the Eugene Fuller Memorial collection, Seattle Art Museum, illustrated in J.M. Addis, ‘Impressed Gourds’, Oriental Art, vol. X, Spring, 1964, p. 28, fig. 2

The tradition of making such bowls continued in the 18th century with the Kangxi bowls serving as prototypes for Qianlong period examples see three from the collection of Sir John Addis and now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, published in Craig Clunas, Chinese Carving, Singapore, 1996, two bearing Qianlong shangwan marks on the base, pls. 79-80, and the third unmarked but attributed to the Qianlong period, pl. 82. Another Qianlong mark and period moulded gourd bowl, illustrated in a number of publications including Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss, ‘Chinese Gourds’, International Asian Antiques Fair, Hong Kong, 1983, p. 52, pl. 4

Nagel. « Asian Art ». Sale 717, 2014/12/08