清十八世紀 犀牛角雕「荷葉」盃 《商銘》款

naturalistically modelled as an half-opened lotus leaf with furled edges, finely detailed overall with a network of veins, the interior carved in low relief with a carp and a conch, the exterior with a small insect clambering towards the mouth, further adorned with a blooming flower and a lotus root, all issuing from the same knotted openwork stem forming the foot, inscribed in seal script Shang Ming on the exterior, the horn of a warm chestnut-brown tone

紐約佳士得2008年3月19日，編號324

The overall condition is quite good with the exception of a partially filled-in insect hole between the petals of the lotus flower, measuring approx. 0.6 cm on the exterior. The surface of the horn is a little dry on one side of the foot. The actual colour is of a deeper brown tone compared to the catalogue illustration.
"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."

The present cup is a superb example of what is possibly one of the most popular decorative themes in the rhinoceros horn carver’s repertoire – the lotus leaf and flower. While it displays characteristic elements seen on cups of this design, such as the veining on the exterior of the leaf, the lotus stems and buds, this piece stands out for the inclusion of an insect and the two characters Shang Ming carved in relief on the exterior and a small fish and snail on the interior. Nature was on the forefront of the carver’s mind when rendering his composition, and by adding these small living creatures he had skilfully brought the piece to life.

Jan Chapman in The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London, 1999, p. 136, pl. 148, mentions an archaistic cup with a square seal containing the two characters Shang Ming, and notes that, judging from the style of the carving, its maker possibly worked in the late 18th century. Another cup by the same artist, decorated with a figural scene of boys playing traditional games, from the collection of Thomas Fok, is included ibid., pl. 149; and a further example carved with taotie masks and chilong, also in the Fok collection, is published in Thomas Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 18.

See a related lotus-leaf form cup carved with a small snail and a crab in its interior sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27th September 2008, lot 1703; and another comparable example, from the collections of Edward and Franklin Chow, sold in these rooms, 8th April 2011, lot 2715, with an unusual fashioning of its foot in the form of entwining lotus stalks.