A COPPER-RED LACQUERED BAMBOO 'LINGZHI' LIBATION CUP, MING DYNASTY China, 16^th - 17^th century. Finely carved in the form of a large libation cup, with smaller heads of lingzhi fungus and leaves carved in high relief and undercut around the sides, all borne on a branching stem that forms the openwork base and handle. Covered overall with a fine layer of neatly polished copper-red lacquer.

Provenance: British trade.
Condition: Excellent condition with some old wear, a minuscule chip to the tip of one leaf at the rim, minor nicks here and there, as well as microscopic natural age cracks. The lacquer coating with a fine patina, naturally grown into an iconic copper-red tone overall.

Weight: 174.0 g
Dimensions: Height 9 cm, Length 15.2 cm

Bamboo carvers utilized the material to create a variety of auspicious flora such as pine, finger citron, gourd, lotus, and bitter melon. However, libation cups that depict lingzhi, such as the present lot, seem to be significantly rarer.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 21 March 2014, lot 2284
Price: USD 10,625 or approx. EUR 13,100 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Large Well-Carved Bamboo Libation Cup, Ming Dynasty, 16th Century
Expert remark: Compare the related form, undercut carving and copper-red lacquer coating. Note the identical site of 15.2 cm.


明代竹雕靈芝犀角式杯
中國，十六至十七世紀。犀角式杯，杯底透雕靈芝和枝葉為足，外壁雕刻樹乾，兩片樹葉半蓋杯沿。全杯雕刻工藝嫺熟，構思巧妙，磨製精湛。整體上覆蓋著一層紅漆。

來源：英國古玩交易。
品相：狀況極佳，有一些磨損，邊緣一片葉子的尖端有一個微小的缺口，局部有輕微刻痕，以及細微的自然年齡裂縫。 帶有精美古銅色的漆層。

重量：174.0 克
尺寸：高9 厘米，長15.2 厘米

竹雕工匠利用竹子可以雕刻出各種吉祥植物，如松樹、佛手瓜、葫蘆、蓮花和苦瓜。 然而，雕刻了靈芝的犀角式杯，如本拍品，似乎非常少見。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2014年3月21日，lot 2284
價格：USD 10,625（相當於今日EUR 13,100）
描述：十六世紀明代竹雕犀角式杯
專家評論：比較相近的外型、透雕和紅漆。請注意幾乎相同的尺寸 (15.2 厘米)。