An exceptionally rare double-gourd-shaped pouring vessel


Fugong mark, 17th/18th centuryThe conical horn exceptionally and elegantly contoured into a double-gourd-shaped vessel, the interior confidently and deeply hollowed into two oval apertures joined by a circular hole, the vessel tapering at the prow into a spout, delicately and precisely carved around the larger aperture in low relief with a fourteen-character inscription, the underside of the double gourd inscribed with a seal mark reading Fugong, the horn ranging from an attractive rich honey tone to walnut brown, stand and two boxes. 16.8cm (6 1/2in) long (4).
|十七/十八世紀 犀角雕光素題字葫蘆器陽文「輔功」篆書款Provenance:Songzhutang Collection, USAngela Chua Collection, Hong KongExhibited:Hong Kong Museum of Art, Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth: Gems of Antiquities Collections in Hong Kong, 2002-2005 Published and Illustrated:T.Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong, 1999, p.107, no.59J.Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London, 1999, p.81, no.53Hong Kong Museum of Art exhibition brochure, Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth: Gems of Antiquities Collections in Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2003來源：松竹堂收藏香港蔡劉木蘭女士收藏展覽：2002-2005年間於香港藝術館《金木水火土：香港文物收藏精品展》中展出出版及著錄：霍滿棠，《中國犀角雕刻珍賞》，香港，1999年，頁107，編號59Jan Chapman，《中國的犀牛角雕刻藝術》，倫敦，1999年，頁81，編號53香港藝術館展覽冊，《金木水火土：香港文物收藏精品展》，2003年The inscription reads:Tian xi yu yi hua lao xiang, zhi du qing xin wei qi zhenwhich may be translated as:'The heavenly rhinoceros horn vessel holds jade fluid (wine) of great fragrance.This precious object helps neutralize the poison and purify the heart.'The underside of the double gourd inscribed Fugong, denoting the name of the carver Sheng Fugong, who is believed to have been active during the 17th century. It is extremely rare to find rhinoceros horn carvings with a Sheng Fugong mark. This carver is discussed by J.Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London, 1999, p. 136, where two examples bearing the carver's mark are recorded: see a rhinoceros horn archaistic four-legged ding, from the Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Harvard University, figs.150-151; and a rhinoceros horn 'river landscape' cup from the Songzhutang Collection, fig.152, which was later sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8 October 2013, lot 3153. See another 'river landscape' libation cup signed Sheng Fugong, 17th century, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 5 October 2016, lot 3668.The present lot is notable for its exquisitely contoured double-gourd shape and smoothly hollowed interior. No other similar examples appear to have been published. The horn being constructed and used horizontally is believed to have been used as a wine container, whereas this type of vessels are more often seen being modelled in the form of a raft, see ibid., pp.78-81, nos.47-52.The rarity of the present lot is further emphasised by its simplistic and plain design, whereas it is more usual for rhinoceros horn vessels to have been carved with designs. Rhinoceros horn vessels with a plain design signed Sheng Fugong can also be compared to Lot 3 in this collection, a double-gourd-shaped vessel and a tray. For examples of undecorated rhinoceros horn vessels, see ibid., pp.146-147, nos.170-171, where the latter one was later sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 28 November 2017, lot 53.此器取材整隻犀角，利用其上尖下寬和彎曲的自然形態圓雕成葫蘆造型，掏空葫蘆內的兩室直達器嘴。注水的邊口刻陽文篆書銘「天犀玉液化醪香，治毒清心蔚奇珍」，葫蘆底部刻陽文篆書款「輔功」。此器選料上乘，造型簡潔樸實，優美精巧，工藝嫻熟，線條流暢，色澤光潤細膩，為犀角雕中高雅之作。傳世犀角器中帶「盛輔功」款之作品十分罕見。盛輔功，明人，身世不詳，其作品風格多樣。犀角器帶「盛輔功」款之例可參考哈佛大學賽克勒博物館藏一件犀角雕仿古方鼎，見Jan Chapman，《中國的犀牛角雕刻藝術》，倫敦，1999年，頁136，編號150-151；另參考松竹堂舊藏一件十七世紀犀角松崖煙溪杯，帶「盛輔功」及「文樞藏」款，錄於霍滿棠，《中國犀角雕刻珍賞》，香港，1999年，頁219，圖160，後售於香港蘇富比，2013年10月8日，拍品3153。另一件帶「輔功」款之例，參看香港蘇富比售出一件十七世紀犀角雕山水人物詩意圖杯，2016年10月5日，拍品3668。此類以犀角橫切面、並將內部掏空之容器以張騫乘搓器之造型更為多見，與本器相同之例目前在其他傳世品中仍未有見，更顯其難能可貴，張騫乘搓之例可見Jan Chapman同上著錄，頁78-91，編號47-52。犀角作為珍貴的材料，得之者往往費盡心機，極盡雕鏤之工藝，然此器除陽文款識以外，表面光素無紋，以天然為本，更顯其不俗品味。同樣帶「盛輔功」款之犀角葫蘆形容器，可參考本場拍賣拍品編號3。更多犀角素身器，見Jan Chapman同上著錄，頁146-147，編號170-171，後者後售於香港邦瀚斯，2017年11月28日，拍品53。