A RARE CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL ‘QIN’ WRIST REST QING DYNASTY

of qin shape, the arched body resting on four bracket feet, brightly enamelled against a turquoise diaper ground with a bird perched on a gnarled stem issuing leafy magnolia and crabapple blossoms, the left terminal with a shou medallion, the top nut and tail piece with stylised floral scrolls against a dark blue ground, encircled by further floral scrolls around the sides, the base similarly decorated with a four-character Qianlong mark within a medallion and a mark reading Zhiyuan Tang within a rectangle against a diaper ground

Purchased in France, 1969.

The rest is in very good condition with the exception of light wear to the gilding, some small areas of enamel shrinkage and scattered enamel pin holes.
"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."

It is unusual to find wrist rests made from cloisonné enamel and this piece is particularly notable for the elegant depiction of the favoured scholarly motif of the bird and flower. In its form the present wrist rest is modelled after Tang and Song dynasty qin called fuxi qin. Wrist rests of this form are commonly known carved from wood; for example see one from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat collection, with an inscription running down the centre, attributed to Guo Shangxian (1785-1833), sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 4^th April 2012, lot 121; and another included in the Oriental Ceramic Society of Hong Kong exhibition Arts of the Scholar’s Studio, Fung Ping Shan Museum, Hong Kong, 1986, cat. no. 86, which also includes a detailed discussion of the fuxi qin, p. 174. Another example of an object for the scholar’s desk in the form of a qin, but made to be used as a paperweight, is the zitan piece with a small drawer set into each end, included ibid., pl. 224.

 

The Zhiyuan Tang is a famous cloisonné enamel workshop of the Qing period; for another vessel with this same mark see a miniature brushpot decorated with a trompe l’oeil ribbon, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, published on the Museum’s website http://www.dpm.org.cn/shtml/117/@/8080.html.