“I am not one who was born all-knowing, merely one who is fond of the ancient past and pursues it restlessly for the attainment of knowledge.”
Tucked away for decades and unknown to the public, the following extraordinary group of archaic bronzes from the collection of Albert Y.P. Lee recounts a story of one man’s lifelong curiosity, passion and dedication to the study of China’s ancient history. Lee’s collection, exceptionally strong in its focus on epigraphy, provides a window into a glorious and turbulent period of China’s illustrious history when bronze ritual objects and their inscriptions recorded political warfare amongst clans, documented sacred rites and ceremonies, and chronicled the lives of the most exalted ancient rulers. Imbued with a sense of elegant nostalgia, the collection also serves as a personal homage to Lee’s father – the important and distinguished Li Yingshuan (1911-1972). The elder Li owned one of the finest archaic bronze collections in the world, which was donated to the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai in 1979.
Albert Y.P. Lee (Li Erbai) (1930-2021) (fig. 1), was born in Shanghai into a wealthy, cultured and well-respected family. His father, Li Yingshuan (fig. 2), was the grandnephew of Li Hongzhang (1823-1901) (fig. 3), the prominent Chinese politician, general and diplomat of the late Qing dynasty who served in several important positions in the Qing court.
(Right) Fig. 3 Li Hongzhang
A quiet and discreet collector, Li Yingshuan began collecting in the 1930s and amassed a collection of around 200 archaic bronzes, which included the Lu Hou Zun (fig. 4), the Xiao Chen Shan Zhi, and the Hou Chuo Fangding – some of the most eminent bronzes now in the collection of the Shanghai Museum. Born in the same year as the collapse of the Qing empire, Li Yingshuan was undoubtedly influenced by the great scholars and collectors of the late 19th century who ushered in a new wave of evidential scholarship and renewed interest in antiquarianism. Following in their footsteps, Li placed a great emphasis on the collecting and studying of bronze inscriptions. In fact, out of great respect and admiration for the scholar and collector Pan Zuyin (1830-1890), Li had purchased several pieces from Pan’s collection, Pangulou, and counted them amongst his most prized possessions.
Collecting in Shanghai during the mid-20th century, Li witnessed first-hand the dispersion of great archaic bronze collections, such as Wu Dacheng’s Kezhai and Wu Yun’s Liangleixuan, and felt a great responsibility as an individual to preserve these cultural relics for future generations. Albert, growing up immersed in this environment, shared the same insatiable intellectual curiosity, impeccable taste and sense of responsibility. From a young age, he was surrounded by these masterpieces and recounted how his earliest memories as a child were always of his father’s archaic bronzes.
“In my childhood, I always liked the kind of fragrance when he opened the two glass display cases, which were full of crisp green vessels. A little older, I was intrigued by those pictograms casted on the vessels. Later on, I learned how to make ink impressions and I often enjoyed accompanying him to those visits, to antique shops and antique markets in Kuangtoon road during my early teens.”
Father and son would spend many restless evenings together studying, discussing, recording or simply enjoying the vessels. They were searching to understand the past, seeking to unveil China’s ancient history that was contained within these archaic and esoteric inscriptions. In that small room filled with treasures, they were transported to the very beginnings of China’s civilization and were in conversation with the generations of scholars and masters of jinshi who came before them. But more importantly, those late evenings were testament to an exceptional passion shared between father and son, a kinship that was strengthened through their mutual fascination with these archaic masterpieces.
“Thus, unknowingly and practically, I had been participating in the process of forming a major archaic bronze collection.”
With Albert’s help, the collection continued to expand up until the 1960s, when, amidst the backdrop of increased political uncertainty, Li decided to contact his friend and former director of the Shanghai Museum, Ma Chengyuan (1927-2004), to safeguard his treasured pieces in the museum to protect them from the tumultuous events of the Cultural Revolution. Eventually, the pieces were donated by Li’s wife, Qiu Hui, to the Shanghai Museum in 1979 (fig. 5), in honor of Li, who had passed away seven years prior. By that time, Albert had moved to Canada, and was greatly distraught that the collection he grew up learning about and loving was now lost to him. Coupled with the loss of his father, the nostalgia and wistful longing of the time spent together learning about archaic bronzes propelled him to build his own collection.
“When there is possession there is loss, when there is gathering there is dispersion, this is the common way of life.”
Albert shared many characteristics with his father; he was a reserved and unassuming collector, and sought out the highest caliber of bronzes he could find. With every piece he collected, he carried on the epigraphic practices learned from his father – making rubbings, recording old references, and meticulously composing manuscripts that captured every detail of each piece. Far away from China, the son took on where the father left off. Unconsciously (or perhaps consciously), Albert gravitated towards his father’s collection as much as possible. On a serendipitous encounter, he was able to seek out an identical San Bo Gui (lot 6), which belonged to the same set as the one in his father’s collection that he would have no doubt grown up studying and researching (fig. 6).
Later on, Albert co-published Important Inscribed Ancient Chinese Bronze Vessels From the Li Yingshuan Collection in the Shanghai Museum (fig. 7) with the Shanghai Museum, commemorating his father’s bronze collection. A physical memorial for his father, the catalogue included a selection of highly important bronzes now in the Shanghai Museum alongside rubbings that Albert made of the inscriptions during his teenage years. The catalogue also included a small selection of Albert’s own bronzes that he dedicated to his father, including lots offered in this sale, in memory of the years they spent together sharing a passion for these cultural relics.
Albert’s study brimmed with old reference books, auction catalogues and binders on top of folders of notes, research, line drawings and rubbings he had done over the years. Together with the support and help of his wife, Sara K.S. Lee, the couple amassed an impressive collection, including works previously from renowned collectors such as Duan Fang (1861-1911) and Yu Shenwu (1896-1984).
Captivated by China’s ancient past, Albert specifically sought out inscribed bronzes of the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Their inscriptions are instrumental in providing timelines and aiding our understanding of the succession of kings, court events and historical anecdotes during this period. Of great historical value, the bronzes provide important documentation that may have otherwise been lost in the throes of history. Brilliantly, Albert recognized the importance of these archaic vessels and dedicated his life to the advancement of the epigraphical study of China’s ancient past.
“These bronzes have shared part of my life. I have cared with, worked on and enjoyed them while they are in my possession. They provoked my interest in study and research, gave me knowledge, enjoyment and peace of mind and perfected many of my experiences and skills, and above all, enriched my existence in this world.”
篤好敏求：李爾白及駱桂生伉儷珍藏重要青銅器
「我非生而知之者，好古，敏以求之者也」
李爾白先生好古敏求，所集成的這組珍貴高古青銅器，體現了他終其一生對中國古史孳孳不息、求知求索的精神。其收藏重器隱跡數十載，今現於世，實為幸事。先生秉承金石傳統，專注庋藏有銘青銅禮器，其中不乏一些金石界知名重器以及極具歷史意義的銘篇。透過這些上古留存下來的吉光片羽，今人可一窺華夏之初的豐饒歷史，了解遠古部族之間的戰爭與政治往來、祭祀儀式以及部族首領或諸侯貴族的生平。高古重器，總能引發懷古情思，而這組藏品還寄託了李爾白先生對其父親李蔭軒先生（1911-1972）的仰念之情。李蔭軒先生的金石收藏可謂近現代最具歷史價值且最為精美的高古青銅器珍藏之一，其收藏後於1979年捐贈予上海博物館。
李爾白（1930-2021）（圖一）生於上海一個家境殷實的書香門第，父親李蔭軒（圖二）是晚清重臣李鴻章（圖三）的侄孫。
（右）圖三 李鴻章
李蔭軒是一位鑑藏大家，平時深居簡出，從上世紀三十年代開始收藏，累積了約二百件古代青銅器，當中包括魯侯尊（圖四）、小臣單觶、厚趠方鼎等現藏於上海博物館的重要珍器。李蔭軒出生時正值清朝覆亡之際，十九世紀後期注重考據的金石學派無疑影響了李蔭軒的收藏習慣。他追隨著前人學者和鑑藏家的步伐，在研究金石銘文方面尤有建樹。他仰慕潘祖蔭（1830-1890），曾購入數件攀古樓舊藏之器，並奉為至珍。
二十世紀中葉出入上海古董收藏界的經歷，讓李蔭軒親眼目睹了青銅器的流散，即使是吳大澂愙齋及吳雲兩罍軒舊藏的彝器亦難逃四散的命運。有見及此，李蔭軒自感有責任為後代保存文物，而李爾白在這樣的環境中長大，耳濡目染之下，亦培養出同樣的好奇心、責任心與品味。他的家中擺滿古物，兒時回憶總是離不開父親的青銅器。
「我小時候總是很喜歡他打開雙門玻璃櫃時，從擺滿青銅器的櫃子裡散發出來的氣味。年紀稍長後，我被器皿上的象形文字深深吸引。再之後，我學會墨拓，十來歲的時候還喜歡經常跟著他逛古董店，或者到廣東路的古玩市場尋寶。」
父子兩人在無數個夜晚一起探討、記錄或只是純粹地欣賞這些美輪美奐的古物，並嘗試從艱奧難懂的銘文中發掘過去的故事，填補中國上古史的空白。在那個堆滿瑰寶的小房間裡，他們沉浸在遙遠的時空中，追溯華夏文明的濫觴，與前朝的金石家神交。那些秉燭鑽研的深夜，見證了父子兩代無分伯仲的熱忱，對青銅古器的興趣加深了父子之間的感情。
「就這樣，我在不知不覺間親手參與了一個重要高古青銅器收藏的建立。」
有了李爾白的參與，李家的收藏不斷擴大。六十年代政局動盪，李蔭軒聯絡到他的朋友、時任上海博物館館長的馬承源（1927-2004），將藏品託付給了上博，以為妥善保管（圖五）。之後此收藏於1979年由李蔭軒的太太邱輝女士捐獻給了上海博物館，以紀念早於七年前離世的李蔭軒先生。那時李爾白已移居加拿大，在得悉失去了自幼相伴身旁的器物後十分難過。喪父的悲慟以及對重溫舊日時光的渴望，促使他開始建立自己的收藏。
塘及朱硯因簽名
「然有有必有無，有聚必有散，乃理之常。」
李家父子性格相近，李爾白與父親一樣作風低調，默默搜羅市場上所能找到的青銅佳器。每得一件藏品，他都會遵循父親的教誨進行拓印、收集早期文獻及詳細記錄所有細節。即使遠離中國大陸，李爾白依然繼承父志，篤行不倦。他的藏品總是有意無意地與父親的舊藏有所交集，某次機緣巧合之下，他搜集到一件散伯簋（拍品六），與其父舊藏屬同組之器（圖六）。
青銅器》，上海，1996年，圖版32
多年後，李爾白與上海博物館合作出版了《李蔭軒所藏中國青銅器》一書（圖七），以紀念其父親的青銅器收藏。這本緬懷先父的圖錄精選了一系列上海博物館典藏的重要青銅器，以及李爾白年輕時製作的銘文拓本。書中還收錄了一小部分李爾白的收藏，向父親致敬，並為往日的父子情留下連串追憶的註腳，當中一些即於本次拍賣上拍。
海，1996年，封面
李爾白的書房裡舉目皆是古籍和拍賣圖錄，處處堆滿了幾十年來的手抄筆記、臨摹素描和金文拓片。在太太駱桂生的支持與幫助下，夫婦二人匯成了一個屬於自己的精彩收藏，其中不乏端方（1861-1911）、于省吾（1896-1984）等知名金石家之舊蓄。
先生對中國古史尤其感興趣，因此特別留意商周兩朝的有銘青銅器。它們能夠幫助後世梳理帝位承襲、宮廷大事以及重要歷史事件等，是不可或缺的史料，若非保留至今，恐怕那段歷史早已湮沒在時間的洪流裡。李爾白深明金石銘文的歷史價值，因此窮其一生投身中國古史研究，並集成了寶貴的高古青銅器珍藏。
「這些青銅器是我人生的一部分。當我擁有它們的時候，我會精心打理並且欣賞這些古代瑰寶。它們使我對研究產生興趣，為我帶來知識、喜悅和平靜，鍛煉了我的技巧，豐富了我的經歷，最重要的是令我的人生更加多姿多采。」
