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An extremely rare Chinese rhinoceros horn box and cover, late…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Melbourne
Date:
16-Jun-2014
Lot No.
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Description:
An extremely rare Chinese rhinoceros horn box and cover, late Ming/early Qing Dynasty, 17th century, carved in the form of a Buddhist lion and cub, the details exquisitely rendered, their tails extending under the base and curling around the feet., 12 cm wide, Fitted box. Provenance: Sydney private collection; purchased from the Ray Mitchell collection, 1997; ex John Hilliard collection, London, 1970's. Rhinoceros horn boxes are very rare and no others of this form are known to have been published. See T. Fok 'Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China', HK 1999, no 128, p179 for a 17th century box and cover carved with a chilong dragon in the Harvard University Art Museum. 17th century bamboo boxes of similar form may be found; see C. Clunas 'Chinese Carving' London 1996, fig 43, p45 for a similar box with a lion and cub, dated 1600-1650.
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Oriental: Zother