A Chinese Carved Rhinoceros Horn Libation Cup 17th/18th century

Carved with small figures sailing a boat on an undulating sea, by a walled pavilion, among rockwork and trees.

(H: 4 3/8, L: 6 1/2, W: 4 in.)

Qty: (1)

Provenance

The collection of Eldridge Reeves Fenimore Johnson (1899-1986), likely acquired before 1937.
Thence by descent in the family.

Footnote:

Note

E. R. F. Johnson was a noted explorer, yachtsman and researcher. He was a pioneer in the development of underwater photography and had close ties with the University of Pennsylvania, where a collection of his photographs are preserved. His father was Eldridge Reeves Johnson (1867-1945), the founder of the Victor Talking Machine Company, later RCA. It is very possible this may have been originally acquired by the elder E. R. Johnson, given that he gave Chinese works of art to the University of Pennsylvania Museum in 1920 and 1927, including the large crystal ball said to have belonged to the Dowager Empress Cixi, the pair of carved stone reliefs of the favorite horses of the Tang Emperor Taizong, and numerous jade and coral carvings.

For similar "landscape" cups, see the example dated to the Kangxi period (1662-1722), sold at Christie’s, London, November 8, 2010, lot 54 and another example, dated to the 18th century, in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1908, accession number: 08.212.2. See also the examples in the Palace Museum Collection, Beijing, dating form the late Ming to early Qing dynasties, illustrated in "The Complete Collection of treasures of the Palace Museum, vol. 44, Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, Hong Kong, 2002, no. 128, p. 142; no. 145, p. 167; no. 146 (from the Qing Court Collection), pp. 168-169; no. 147 (from the Qing Court Collection), pp. 170-171; and no. 148 (from the Qing Court Collection), pp. 172-173.

Please Note: This item is composed of a regulated material. It is accompanied by documentation identifying material, age and provenance. It is the responsibility of any bidder/buyer to be aware of and comply with any local, state, national and international regulations governing the acquisition and movement of this item. Some countries and states prohibit the importation of items that contain materials from endangered species, including rhinoceros horn. Prospective buyers should familiarize themselves with the relevant customs restrictions prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country. Freeman's does not provide CITES documentation for import or export.

Condition report:

Surface soiled and dusty, somewhat dry in appearance; possible polished chips to lip, a few small hairlines to rim, small branch to inside of lip possibly polished out, small loss to edge of floret under 'spout,' possible losses to sail of boat, possible polished chips to edge of foot, cracks to branches of right side in 'handle,' slight losses to edges of foliage, underside with some possible fill of wax or a related material, fine natural hairlines scattered vertically on surface. There is no evidence that this object has been repaired or later modified with additional rhinoceros horn or related regulated material.