AN EXTREMELY RARE GROUP OF FIVE POTTERY MUSICIANS AND DANCERS, HAN DYNASTY China, 202 BC - 220 AD. The group comprised of three musicians, one with a flute, one with a qin, and the third blowing a sheng (free reed), as well as a dancing lady with an elaborate floral headdress and a listener. All in animated poses with smiling expressions and dressed in long flowing robes. (5)

Provenance: From the collection of Dr. Mons Fischer, a seasoned private collector of modern and contemporary art, who has also acquired fine Chinese works of art since the 1980s, eventually building one of the most important collections of its kind in Austria. Copies of three old invoices accompany this lot:

Dancing lady
Acquired by Dr. Mons Fisher at the price of ATS 55,000, which in today’s currency amounts to ca. EUR 6,295 after inflation. A copy of the original invoice, dated 15 October 2001, from Auktionen Zacke & Co KEG, Vienna, Austria, describing the dancer as ‘Tänzerin’ (engl.: dancer), accompanies this lot.

Qin player
Acquired by Dr. Mons Fisher at the price of ATS 39,930, which in today’s currency amounts to ca. EUR 4,695 after inflation. A copy of the original invoice, dated 2 June 2000, from Auktionen Zacke & Co KEG, Vienna, Austria, describing the dancer as ‘Musikant’ (engl.: musician), accompanies this lot.

Flutist
Acquired by Dr. Mons Fisher at the price of ATS 40,000, which in today’s currency amounts to ca. EUR 4,970 after inflation. A copy of the original invoice, dated 91 April 1998, from Galerie Zacke, Vienna, Austria, describing the dancer as ‘Flötenspieler’ (engl.: flutist), accompanies this lot.

Condition: Some repair as generally expected from Han dynasty excavations. Losses, fissures, wear, weathering, some dents, cracks, and encrustations. Drilled holes from sample-taking. Overall, good condition and fully commensurate with the age of this ensemble.

Scientific Analysis Reports:

Dancing lady: A Thermoluminescence sample analysis has been conducted by Oxford Authentication, sample no. C121n78, dated 11 November 2021. It sets the firing date of the samples at 1500 to 2400 years ago. A copy of the thermoluminescence analysis report accompanies this lot.

The Sheng player: A thermoluminescence sample analysis has been conducted by Institut für Kulturwissenschaften und Restaurierung – Technologie an der Universität für Angewandte Kunst in Wien, Austria, sample no. VHTL-P472, dated 8 November 2000. It sets the firing date of the samples taken at ca. 1700 years ago (+/- 25% accuracy). A copy of the thermoluminescence analysis report accompanies this lot.

The flutist: A thermoluminescence sample analysis has been conducted by Labor Ralf Kotalla, Haigerloch, Germany, sample no. 980610, dated 1 July 1998, and sets the firing date of the samples taken at ca. 1900 (+/- 200 years) years ago. A copy of the thermoluminescence analysis report accompanies this lot.

Dimensions: Height of the dancing lady 72 cm, the flutist 39.5 cm, the sheng player 37 cm, the qin player 40.5 cm, the listener 30 cm

Auction result comparison: Compare a related group of pottery musicians, dated to the late eastern Han dynasty, at Christie’s New York in Fine Chinese Furniture, Ceramics and Works of Art on 16 October 2001, lot 339, sold for USD 49,350.

漢代罕見五陶俑組
中國，公元前202年至公園220年。樂隊陶俑組由三位樂者組成，一位吹簫，一位彈琴，一位吹笙，還有一位戴著精美花冠的舞女和一位聽眾。所有人都帶著微笑，穿著飄逸的長袍，姿勢生動歡悅。

來源：Dr. Mons Fischer 私人收藏。他是一位經驗豐富的現代和當代藝術私人收藏家，從1980年代開始收藏中國藝術品，最終在奧地利建立了此類藏品最重要的收藏之一。隨附購買發票副本。

舞女
Dr. Mons Fisher 購於奧地利維也納Zacke & Co KEG 拍賣行，當時的價格為ATS 55,000, 相當於現在約 EUR 6,295。隨附原始發票副本，2001年10月15日。
琴者
Dr. Mons Fisher 購於奧地利維也納Zacke & Co KEG 拍賣行，當時的價格為ATS 39,930, 相當於現在約 EUR 4,695 。隨附原始發票副本，2000年6月2日。

吹簫者
Dr. Mons Fisher 購於奧地利維也納Zacke & Co KEG 拍賣行，當時的價格為ATS 40,000, 相當於現在約EUR 4,970。隨附原始發票副本，1998年4月19日。

品相：漢代考古發掘中普遍預期的一些修復。損失、裂縫、磨損、風化、一些凹痕、裂痕和結殼。取樣鑽孔。總體狀況良好，完全符合其年齡。

科學檢測報告:

舞女: 隨附牛津熱釋光測試副本， 樣本編號C121n78, 2021年11月 11日。結果認爲此陶俑爲1500 – 2400年前所製。

吹笙者: 隨附維也納應用藝術大學Institut für Kulturwissenschaften und Restaurierung – Technologie 熱釋光測試副本， 樣本編號VHTL-P472, 2000年11月 8日，其結果認爲此陶俑爲 1700 前所製 (+/- 25% 可能性)。

吹簫者: 隨附德國海戈儸和市Labor Ralf Kotalla實驗室熱釋光測試副本，樣本編號 980610, 1998年7月 1日，結果認爲此陶俑為 1900 (+/- 200 年) 前製。

尺寸： 舞女高72 厘米, 吹簫者 39.5 厘米, 吹笙者 37 厘米, 琴者 40.5 厘米，聽者30 厘米

拍賣結果比較：比較相近的一組東漢樂人陶俑，見紐約佳士得Fine Chinese Furniture, Ceramics and Works of Art 2001年10月16日 lot 339, 售價USD 49,350。