TWO-DAY AUCTION - Fine Chinese Art / 中 國藝術集珍 / Buddhism & Hinduism (CA0321) Sat, 6th Mar 2021 Lot 429

Starting price: €750 Estimate: €1500 A GILT BRONZE ‘LONGMA’ HILT, MING DYNASTY 明代銅 鎏金龍馬執柄 China, 1368-1644, Xuande period (1426-1435). Finely cast as a longma, a mythical creature with the head of a and body of a , the wavy mane and scales finely chiseled and incised, with skillfully executed gilding to the copper alloy. Provenance: The collection of a French diplomat, acquired in China during the first half of the 20th century, thence by descent in the same family. Condition: Fine condition with extensive wear to bronze and gilt, some nicks here and there. The iron blade is certainly very old, but still an addition. The original blade was probably made of jade. Good natural patina overall.

Weight: 62.9 g Dimensions: Length 10.6 cm

The longma is an auspicious creature that, according to legend, is said to represent gratitude. During the Xuande reign it was introduced as a principal decoration and became a popular subject ever since. While depictions of longma on porcelain from this period are quite common, along with later examples in jades from the Qing dynasty, gilt bronze longma are extremely rare.

The finely combed-effect of the whorls of the mane and the almost deliberate dramatic quality of the present piece are characteristic of early Ming sculpture, particularly during the Xuande period, and recall the stone sculpture lining the spirit road of the Ming Tombs near Beijing, such as a , depicted in a similar pose on a ceremonial archway, in situ at the Valley of the Ming Tombs, Beijing, illustrated in Ann Paludan, The Chinese Spirit Road, New Haven, 1991, pl. 220.

Literature comparison: For a cobalt-blue and iron-red stemcup depicting heavenly animals, including the longma, with a Xuande mark and of the period, see Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 October 2013, lot 3029. For a celadon jade longma from the Qing dynasty, see Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 November 2006, lot 1419.

Auction result comparison: Compare with a related gilt bronze water dropper depicting a qilin, made from a similar alloy and with a similar gilding, and with closely related mane and scales, at Sotheby’s New York, in Ming: Luminous Dawn of Empire, on 20 March 2018, lot 111, bought-in at an estimate of USD 150,000-200,000.

明代銅鎏金龍馬執柄 中國，1368-1644，宣德 (1426-1435)。精細鑄造而成的神獸龍 馬，兼具龍和馬形態，波浪狀的鬃毛和鱗片清晰，鎏金銅處理精 美。

來源：法國外交家收藏，二十世紀上半葉購於中國，自此保存在 同一家族至今。 品相：狀況良好，對鎏金有大面積磨損，局部有些刻痕。 鐵刃很 舊，但是附加的。 最初的刀片可能是用玉製成的。 總體上良好 的天然包漿。 重量： 62.9 克 尺寸：長10.6 厘米

拍賣結果比較：一件相似銅鎏金麒麟水滴，鬃毛與鱗片緊密清 晰，售于紐約蘇富比Sotheby’s New York Ming: Luminous Dawn of Empire拍場2018年3月20 日lot 111, 估價USD 150,000-200,000.