AN ARCHAISTIC BRONZE ‘DUCK’ PAPERWEIGHT, EARLY QING DYNASTY
China, 17th-18th century. The recumbent bird is boldly cast with its wings tucked to its side and its curved ruyi-form tail feather pointing upwards. The almond-shaped eyes with subtly incised lower lashes beneath stylized swirling head feathers. The intricately patterned wings rest above curling feathers taking the form of archaistic C-scrolls and ruyi heads. The body with minute stippling beneath the duck’s wings and extending to the back.


Provenance:
Dutch trade.

Condition:
Good condition with significant old wear and expected casting irregularities, light scratches, small nicks, minor dents, few tiny holes probably inherent to manufacturing. The head and tail with remnants of ancient gilt.

Weight: 600.9 g
Dimensions: Length 12.9 cm


This bronze duck is rare
as most bronze ducks are cast as incense burners or water droppers, while jade and crystal ducks are carved either in the round or as boxes and covers. The archaistic inspiration is clearly demonstrated in the C-scroll decorations around the wings and relates not only to Song and Ming revival of archaic bronzes but more directly to the Qianlong emperor's instruction to craftsmen to take inspiration from antiquity. See Chang Li-tuan, The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch'ing Court, Taipei, 1997, pp. 49-50.


The duck is often seen as the symbol of the first scholar
,
Zhuangyuan
. In Chinese, the character for duck, ya, also bears the radical for the word armor, jia, and jia is the word to classify successful candidates in the final civil service exam. Ducks are also symbolic for filial piety and faithfulness, since they are believed to take a life-time partner.


Literature comparison:

Compare a prototype archaic bronze ‘duck’ incense burner and cover with similarly styled head and wings, dated mid-Western Han dynasty, at Bonhams Hong Kong, 29 May 2023, lot 321. Compare a related rock crystal duck-form vessel with similar archaistic C-scrolls, dated to the Qianlong period, at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 April 2010, lot 1986. Compare a related jade duck-shaped washer with similar archaistic elements, dated 18th century, at Bonhams Hong Kong, 29 May 2018, lot 23. Compare a related Yixing duck-form vase with similarly stylized wings, dated 20th century, at Sotheby’s London, 13 May 2015, lot 224.




清朝初期鴛鴦銅鎮


中國，十七至十八世紀。鴛鴦雙翅收於側，尾羽呈弧形如意狀向上翹起，大眼。鎮紙表面浮雕凹凸感強烈，造型栩栩如生。


來源：
丹麥古玩交易。

品相：
狀況良好，有明顯磨損和鑄造不規則、輕微劃痕、小刻痕、輕微凹痕、少數小孔。頭部和尾部有鍍金的痕跡。
重量：600.9 克
尺寸：長 12.9 厘米


文獻比較：

比較一件的西漢中期青銅鴨形熏爐，見香港邦翰斯，2023年5月29日，lot 321。比較一件相近的乾隆款及年代水晶鴨形，見香港蘇富比，2010年4月7日，lot 1986。比較一件相近的十八世紀 白玉雕鴨形洗，見香港邦翰斯，2018年5月29日，lot 23。比較一件相近的二十世紀初宜興窰寶鴨尊《陳鳴遠》款，見倫敦蘇富比，2015年5月13日，lot 224。