A RARE BLACK LACQUER INLAID MOTHER-OF-PEARL QIN MING DYNASTY

made in Confucius-style with elegantly arched body, both the top and bottom surface lacquered in black, the upper body surface showing thirteen inlaid mother-of-pearl studs, between a band of mother-in-pearl inlaid decorations along the sides, including qilong, phoenix and various other birds, alternating between leaves, flowers, clouds and mountains, the seven tassles all resting on a pair of 'goose feet', the 'dragon pond' and 'phoenix pool' present on the underside, the belly carved with the name of the qin, 'Canghailong', above two other seal-type inscriptions, 'Chichengjiaozi' and 'Zhuzhiyuan X yazhi'

The Yousaian Collection, Japan.

The overall condition is quite good and expected for qins of this type. The qin is in playable condition. The crackles to the lacquer have been stablized and re-lacquered. Some of the mother-of-pearl inlay along the sides and the studs on top have been replaced. The tuning pegs are replaced and the strings are modern. The 'goose feet' feet are also later replacements. On the underside there is loss to the carved inscription and the carved seals. At the narrow end of the qin, the lacquer has been removed revealing the wood base.
"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."

With elegant straight sides and austere lines characteristic of the 'Confucius type', the present qin is a fine example of the work by master qin maker Zhu Zhiyuan of the late Yuan and early Ming periods. Popular during the Tang and Song periods, the qin enjoyed a second peak of appreciation amongst the emperors of the Ming dynasty, and an official title was given to highly proficient players. It was thus considered by the literati to be an inseparable part of high culture and propounded by the scholar Tu Long (1542-1605) that every scholar's studio must have a qin hanging on the wall (see Yip Shing Yiu, 'The Guqin', 2000 Years of Chinese Lacquer, the Art Gallery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1993, p. 216). Zhu's qin were much sought after by scholars and connoisseurs and became collectors' items for the next centuries. Another qin inscribed with Zhu Zhiyuan's name, Zhu Zhengyuan zhi ('Made by Zhu Zhiyuan of Chicheng') was offered at Christie's Hong Kong, 27^th May 2008, lot 1883.

Individual qin were frequently named, thus emphasising the symbolic and interpretative nature of the music it produced. The name would be engraved on the back of the neck, as seen on the present piece, which bears cang hei long ('Dragon of the Vast Ocean'). Compare a qin of this type, also inscribed with its name on the back and signed by its maker, included in the exhibition 2000 Years of Chinese Lacquer, op. cit., cat. no. 113 ( 'Spring Breeze', signed by (Wen) Zhengming); together with an unsigned example, cat. no. 114 ('Bells on a Frosty Day'). Compare also the documented imperial qin attributed to the Chenghua period (1465-1487), Dongitan Xianlai ('Heavenly Music from the Land of Immortals'), its body constructed in the Lie Zi style but with a Confucius style neck and ridge, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 26^th April 1998, lot 540.

It is extremely rare to find qin decorated in this style with mother-of-pearl inlays. The animals are reminiscent of Tang gold and silver sheet ornaments that were used to adorn lacquer wares; for example see three black-lacquered panels inlaid with gold birds, included in the exhibition Chinesische Lackarbeiten, Linden-Museum, Stuttgart, 1988, cat. no. 17.