Lot 101
  • 101

A RARE SANCAI-GLAZED STONEWARE 'LEOPARD'S HEAD' PILLOW JIN DYNASTY |

Estimate
25,000 - 35,000 GBP
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Description

  • 21.5 cm, 8 1/2  in.
naturalistically modelled and glazed as a leopard head with large bulging eyes and flaring nostrils, the green-glazed semi-circular dished top incised with a fish within cash diaper and foliate scroll bands, the back inscribed under the glaze ci qu xie bi e (which may be translated as a wish to evade harm and avoid evil)

Provenance

Collection of the La Jolla Museum of Art, La Jolla, California.
Sotheby's Los Angeles, 7th-10th June 1976, lot 1435.
Sotheby's London, 15th July 1980, lot 47.
Collection of Jane Carnegie, Melbourne.

Exhibited

Freedom of Clay and Brush through Seven Centuries in Northern China. Tz'u-chou Type Wares, 960-1600 AD, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, 1980-81 (late inclusion in the exhibition, without catalogue entry). Oriental Art. Works of Art from China, Japan, India and Southeast Asia, Georges Gallery, Melbourne, 1981, cat. no. 21.

China without Dragons. Rare Pieces from Oriental Ceramic Society Members, London, 2016, cat. no. 18.

Literature

Mary Redfern, 'China Without Dragons. An Exhibition Presented by the Oriental Ceramic Society', Arts of Asia, November-December 2016, p. 159, fig. 3.

Condition

This rare pillow is in very good condition with the exception of some very minor glaze firing imperfections.
"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."

Catalogue Note

Pillows in the form of leopards were believed to be capable of warding off evil spirits, as suggested in the Jiu Tangshu (Old History of the Tang Dynasty), compiled during the Later Jin dynasty (1616-1636), and exemplified by the inscription on the present piece.