Lot 599
Rare Imperial Cinnabar Lacquer Stembowl, Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Mark and Period (1736-1795)
Lot 599 Details
Rare Imperial Cinnabar Lacquer Stembowl, Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Mark and Period (1736-1795)
Also referred to as a butter lamp, the body with flaring sides rising to an everted rim, all on a raised foot, the relief carving on the sides in deep red lacquer over a black ground featuring Tibetan scripts over large lotus balls, the foot with design of beaded necklaces dripping from ruyi heads. Included is a sterling silver cover by J. Wurm from Freidburg , Circa 1920’s
height 5.1" — 13 cm.
inscribed Qianlong six-character mark to interior foot ring
Estimate $15,000-$20,000
Additional Images
Provenance:
The estate of a German Officer posted in Tokyo between 1895-1899 and Beijing between 1900-1901. Thence by descent to the current owners in Ottawa
Note:
This rare Tibetan-style butter lamp (chöking) is related to stem cups executed in precious metals of the Yuan Dynasty, and represents the Qianlong Emperor’s devotion to Tibetan Lamaism, a form of Buddhism that harks back to Mongol times.
This butter lamp would have featured a floating wick in clarified butter like those on Tibetan altars, which are traditionally large sets ranged across the altar front. However in the Qing expression of these altars, it is more common to see a set of six lamps between ornate stands of the Eight Precious Symbols of Buddhism (bajixiang) ranged four each to the left and right of the central votive.
It is extremely rare to see butter lamps made of cinnabar lacquer and of such a large size. They are typically smaller and made of metal or porcelain. A blue and white version of this lamp, with Qianlong mark and of the period, is published in Patricia Ferguson’s COBALT TREASURES: THE BELL COLLECTION OF CHINESE BLUE AND WHITE PORCELAIN, Toronto, 2003, no.3.
The use of carved lacquer for a lamp would appear to be luxurious even for an imperial altar setting. See two related examples possibly from the same altar set sold in Sotheby’s Hong Kong ‘Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art’ October 8, 2010, lot 1756 and 2757
CONDITION DETAILS
PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A PREMIUM LOT. ANY BIDDING ON THIS LOT REQUIRES PRE-APPROVAL FROM THE ASIAN ART DEPARTMENT AT LEAST 48 HOURS PRIOR TO THE SALE. Please contact [email protected] or 416.847.6185 for more information