A rhinoceros horn 'auspicious birds' libation cup


17th/18th centuryFinely carved around the exterior with pairs of cranes, phoenix, magpies, sparrows, and mandarin ducks, all amidst landscape with bamboo, prunus and pines with two wutong trees forming the handle, the horn of rich caramel-brown tone. 15.1cm (5 8/9in) long.
|十七/十八世紀 犀角鳳鳥雙棲犀角盃Provenance: a Scottish private collection來源：蘇格蘭私人收藏Pairs of birds represent the auspicious wishes for fertility as well as for happiness in marriage, which is the particular symbolism of the pair of mandarin ducks. Related rhinoceros horn libation cups carved with cranes and phoenix in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, are illustrated by J.Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London, 1999, p.187.Compare with a similar rhinoceros horn 'auspicious birds' libation cup, 17th/18th century, which was sold at Bonhams London, 11 May 2017, lot 310.