AN EXTREMELY RARE LARGE RHINOCEROS HORN ARCHAISTIC GUANG VESSEL BY YOU YILIANG 17TH CENTURY

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masterfully carved in the form of an archaistic bronze guang vessel with a body of flaring rectangular section set with a channelled spout opposite a 'D'-shaped handle, the body finely carved in low relief with a wide register of taotie masks on a leiwen ground, supported on a tall foot of square section similarly decorated, the austere form interrupted by five playful chilong carved in reticulated high relief, nimbly clambering on the rim, handle and beneath the spout, the base with a four-character mark of the carver You Yiliang (You Yiliang zuo, 'Made by You Yiliang'), the horn of rich amber patina, wood stand

Collections of Edward T. Chow (purchased in Hong Kong, 1966) and Franklin Chow.

One Man's Taste. Treasures from the Lakeside Pavilion, Galleries of the Baur Collection, Geneva, 1988, cat. no. R18.
Craving for Carvings: Rhinoceros Horn from the Chow Collection, Asian Civilizations Museum, Singapore, 2003, cat. no. fc18.

Jan Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London, 1999. pl. 158.
Thomas Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 28.

The overall condition is very good with only tiny nibbles to three corners of the foot (one filled) and a tiny nibble on the rim near the foot of one of the chilongs. The patina is very smooth and well polished.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This cup belongs to a well known group of rhinoceros horn vessels fashioned in the form of the archaic bronze guang. Although a number of related examples are known from important museums and private collections, the present cup stands out for its impressive large size and for bearing the carver's mark in seal script You Yiliang zuo (Made by You Yiliang) on its base. This is the only carving known by You Yiliang, who worked in the 17th century (See Chapman, op.cit., p. 140). It is also unusual to find chilong carved below the spout of the vessel, making this example unique amongst cups of this type.

Edward Chow in his notes praises the workmanship and the quality of the material which he describes as touming hupo se ('translucent amber colour') and concludes with the words : xuyao baoer cang zhi ye ('to be kept and treasured').

Archaistic forms and decorative motifs were favoured by the nobility who were keen collectors of ancient artefacts. The fashion of archaism in the Song dynasty resulted in the production of pattern manuals and books which were widely copied. Carvers and artists were able to transfer the ritual heritage of bronze forms to mediums such as rhinoceros horn, ceramics and jade.

For related guang form cups see four examples, from the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, illustrated in The Palace Museum Collection of Elite Carvings, Beijing, 2004, pls. 216-219; and another of closely related shape and decoration but lacking the chilong below the spout, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, Shanghai, 2001, pl. 134, similarly bearing the carver's mark on the base in seal script that reads Hu Xingyue zuo ('made by Hu Xingyue').  Compare also a cup in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, included in Jan Chapman, 'The Chester Beatty Collection of Chinese Carved Rhinoceros Horn Cups', Arts of Asia, May-June 1982, p. 83, pl. 23; and another sold at Christie's London, 16th April 1985, lot 354, with a band of taotie and leiwen below a keyfret border on the exterior and with two chilong clutching and peering over the rim above a double bracket handle, closely related to that seen on this vessel.