An exquisite pair of Imperial-tribute reticulated stained ivory 'double gourd' parfumiers


QianlongEach masterfully carved in the form of a double gourd comprising two sections intricately carved in openwork, one with blue and green-stained interlocking key-fret scrolls forming the upper and lower sections, alternating with red-stained kui dragons and bats, the other with key-fret and bats, each set with a removable cover in the form of a stalk, intertwined with a long delicate chain suspending two monkeys and a bat on a peach to one vessel, the other with two miniature double gourds and a basket, the stained parfumier decorated with a stylised shou character to the base, both fitted on an openwork ivory stand carved with scrolling ruyi branches with two flowerhead fittings, stand, boxes. 10.6cm (4 1/8in) high (5).
|清乾隆 象牙鏤雕葫蘆形交泰雲蝠紋花薰及染色鏤空雕回紋花薰 一組兩件The present lot is exceptional for the exquisite skill of its intricate openwork interlocking sections of the key-fret borders as well as the meticulously carved chain, conveying the astonishing level of ivory craftsmanship achieved by the carvers during the Qianlong period. Such workmanship was most likely carried out in the workshops in Guangzhou as imperial-tribute to the Qing Court.Compare with two examples of an ivory parfumier of similar form and size, mid-Qing dynasty, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, Hong Kong, 2002, pp.211 and 212, nos.174 and 175; and a larger example, p.215, no.177. See also an ivory parfumier of similar form but of larger size, Qianlong, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated by E.S.Rawski and J.Rawson, eds., China: The Three Emperors 1662-1795, London, 2005, p.370, no.283. A reticulated ivory double gourd parfumier, Qianlong, was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 31 May 2010, lot 1887.象牙質，圓雕葫蘆形，鏤空及浮雕花紋，一件蓋鈕雕藤葉，口沿下浮雕俯葉紋一周，再下鏤空雕雲蝠紋，上下鑚魚眼一匝，束腰，下腹鏤空雕交泰紋，上下相交，可活動，葫蘆內部一根活環主鏈與蓋相連，并接三條分鏈，分別連綴葫蘆、花籃、染綠小葫蘆三樣。另一件瓜蒂染綠，口沿下淺浮雕螭龍螭鳳紋，再下鏤空浮雕回紋，染藍彩，束腰鏤雕回紋，染紅色，下腹上部雕蝠紋一周，其下鏤雕回紋，染綠彩，上下浮雕雲榖紋兩匝，底部浮雕壽字，染紅藍彩，蓋內連活環長鏈，鏈上套三鏈，末端套雙猴及蝠桃。配原裝象牙鏤空纏枝紋底座。本組花薰，寓意福祿萬代，益壽延年。活環雕琢，細若篦絲，玲瓏剔透，用工巧絕，堪為清宮造辦處牙雕登峰造極之作。可參考三例清宮舊藏象牙鏤空帶活環的花薰，體例一致，同出一處，見《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集：竹木牙角雕刻》，香港，2002年，編號174、175及177。另有一例藏於英國維多利亞及艾伯特博物館，以資參考，見《盛世華章》，倫敦2005年，編號283；佳士得香港亦售出一例頗似之，2010年5月31日，拍品編號1887。