RARE RHINOCEROS HORN RAFT-FORM POURING VESSEL,18th/19th century, signed Tian Chang. Carved to depict Zhang Qian floating down the Yangzi river. Inscribed "Tsou Yao Yao I Ching Yang" (My boat rocks in the gentle breeze), a verse from the poem "Kuei-ch'u-lai-ts'e" (Homeward Bound) by the 5th century poet T'ao Ch'ien. - 13 1/4 in. long. Estimate $10,000-15,000
PROVENANCE: A Long Island NY collector, purchased from Nuri Farhadi, 1975. This piece belongs to a small group of rhinocerous horn raft pouring vessels depicting the Han dynasty statesman Zhang Qian who, according to legend, discovered the source of the Yangzi river.
Similar vessels are in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Yang Xin, Treasures of the Imperial Palace, 1995, pl. 47; in the Shanghai Museum, included in the exhibition, Treasures from the Shanghai Museum 6000 Years of Chinese Art, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, 1983, cat. no. 120; in the exhibition, Chinese Art from the Collection of H.M. King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, The British Museum, 1972, p. 119, no. 186; in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, published in Fong and Watt, Possessing the Past, 1996, pl. 331; and in Chapman, 'The Use of Manipulation in Chinese Rhinocerous Horn Cups', Arts of Asia, July/August, 1982. Several of these are illustrated by T. Fok, 'Connoisseurship of Rhinocerous Horn Carving in China', Hong Kong, 1999; no. 70, in the collection of the Shanghai Museum; no. 71, in the collection of the Harvard University Art Museums; no. 72, in the collection of Madam Dora Wong; no. 73, in the collection of Mrs. Angela Chua, formerly in the Arthur M. Sackler collections and sold, Christie's New York, Dec. 1994, lot 17; and no. 74, in the collection of Mr. Franklin Chow.
This lot may require a Cites Permit for exportation. The successful bidder is responsible for obtaining the permit. For more information please contact the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, 800-344-WILD, managementauthority@FWS.gov or www.cites.org.
