These three extraordinary seals, presented together for the first time, capture in their inscriptions and in the scars of history left upon them, the most defining moments in Chinese imperial history – from the apex of the Ming dynasty to its downfall, from the consolidation of the Manchu empire to the most controversial imperial succession power struggle ever, and finally to the decline of imperial China in the 19th century.
春季中國藝術珍品拍賣，開首獻呈寶璽三方，首聚於斯，跨越兩朝，見證歷史關鍵時刻。朱明輝煌，也須面對換代改朝，盛清昇平，亦終難逃皇朝覆亡。明清遺珍如斯，自身亦注定隨著朝代更替，興衰與共。
Until the emergence of this extraordinary jade piece, all Ming dynasty imperial seals were thought to have been lost or destroyed – having been either adapted for Qing imperial use or destroyed during the ravages of war during the fall of the dynasty.
明洪熙永樂仁孝文皇后青玉龍鈕諡寶，乃唯一傳世之明代宮廷諡寶，絕無僅有。文皇后乃開國大臣徐達長女、一代賢后。體恤臣民，敢言勸諫，奠基永樂盛世有功，以身作則，祭祀誠敬，為後宮立下高尚的道德典範。
The personal seal of Empress Wen – the consort of the Emperor Yongle, who played a key role in the establishment of the Ming dynasty – this rare survival is carved in the shape of a ferocious horned dragon, encapsulating the pinnacle of wealth and power of the Ming dynasty in the early 15th century. At the same time, the scars and scorch marks on the surface of the seal act as a powerful visual record of the tumultuous events of the 3rd June 1644, when the seal was clearly smashed and burned as the last Chinese dynasty was destroyed. The survival of this piece, which tells the story of the Ming dynasty at its height and at its fall, and is nothing short of miraculous, making it the only known surviving imperial seal of the Ming era.
此璽龍鈕呈蹲坐之式，傲展十五世紀初明廷皇風。公元1644年6月3日，李自成稱帝，明朝正式覆亡，這方永樂大帝仁孝文皇后諡寶同遭擲損，火燒留痕，現已是碩果僅存。孤璽一方，劫後殘餘，獨掌可握，卻道盡朱明盛衰，其價值不言而喻。
This is the largest and most potent seal ever carved for the Kangxi Emperor, who in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, was the single most powerful person on earth, ruling over a vast empire of over 100 million subjects.
康熙帝御寶檀香木異獸鈕「敬天勤民」方璽，尺寸碩大、雕刻有勁，縱觀康熙寶璽，無出其右。康熙皇帝權傾天下，臣民逾億，在十七世紀末至十八世紀初，冠絕全球。
This seal, the largest and most potent seal ever carved for the Kangxi Emperor, bears the inscription “Jingtian qinmin” – “Revere Heaven and Serve Thy People” – words that served as the Kangxi Emperor’s moral and philosophical compass as he completed the conquest of China, anchored the Qing dynasty, and ushered in a long period of great prosperity and peace.
印文曰「敬天勤民」。雖只四字，道出自古以來中國帝制君權神授、以民為本的政治哲學，言簡意深。 康熙皇帝以此為則，勵精圖治，代天御民，寰宇一統，奠基三代盛世昇平。此方寶璽所蘊歷史、文化、藝術意義均極其重要，誠天命君權之典。
Superbly carved with a pair of powerful intertwining dragons, this present white jade seal demonstrates the extraordinary workmanship in the Qianlong reign.
白玉為質，色澤溫潤，飾交龍鈕，雕刻深邃，展現乾隆年間御作的工精藝絕。
This imperial seal is inscribed with an essay by his majesty the Qianlong Emperor, memorialising his beloved relationship with his grandfather, but more importantly legitimising the most controversial and possibly darkest succession of power in Chinese history – that of his father, fourth son to emperor Kangxi, who was rumoured to have been favoured for the throne because of the emperor’s strong faith in his grandson, the future Qianlong Emperor.
印體環刻乾隆御製〈紀恩堂記〉，緬懷與祖父康熙的深厚情誼，且宣揚皇位正統，為父皇雍正奪嫡登基之事闢謠，暗示康熙喜愛皇孫，早屬意弘曆承繼大業，是以傳位四子胤禛。
As a young man, the future Qianlong Emperor first met his grandfather, the Kangxi Emperor, in Ji’entang, The Hall of Grace Remembrance, which no longer exists. Burned and cracked in the late 19th century, the seal is a testimony to a special memory and a turbulent history.
印文為「紀恩堂」，即乾隆首次謹見祖父康熙帝之地。此璽原貯紀恩堂中。清末，紀恩堂被毀，此璽雖受火傷，倖存至今，續頌祖孫親恩，並載國朝命運，難能可貴。
In addition to the historically important seals, we are pleased to offer a selection of imperial ceramics from the Ming and Qing dynasties, such as an impressive Yongle blue and white charger brilliantly painted with grapes, a Zhengde doucai ‘dragon’ bowl, and a Yongzheng blue and white lotus-mouth vase. The sale will also present a range of fine and rare works of art, including two treasures from the Qianlong period: an imperial Beijing enamelled 'peony' covered wine ewer and a richly-decorated ruby-red overlay covered glass jar.
除三方重璽，且有珍罕明清御瓷，例如永樂青花葡萄菱式大盤、正德鬪彩龍紋盌、雍正青花纏枝蓮鋪首耳長頸蓮口瓶。精品且有各式工藝珍器，如銅胎北京畫琺瑯黃地牡丹酒壺，以及雪霏地套寶石紅料仕女嬰戲圖蓋罐，兩者均署乾隆年款，各有千秋，美不勝收。
Other highlights include a Yongzheng blue and white lotus-mouth vase, which, with an elegant, slender silhouette, attests to the ingenuity with which historical precedents were used in the creation of new works in order to meet the Yongzheng Emperor’s exacting standards for quality and antiquarian taste. It is extremely rare and only one companion vase appears to have been recorded.
The sale will also present three treasures from the Qianlong period: a ruby-red overlay glass jar, a blue and white Ming-style moonflask, and a Beijing enamelled wine ewer.
The composition and execution of the design of the glass jar, with exceptional attention to detail, set a standard of unparalleled excellence. The openwork knop in the form of a pavilion, together with the overlay seal mark on the base, attest to the superiority of workmanship of the Qianlong period.
In both its form and painted motif, the moonflask immediately references China’s glorious porcelain tradition. While flasks of this type are numerous, the present piece is particularly unusual for its size, the form of its handles and the raised rib on the neck.
The Beijing enamelled ewer and cover, elegantly shaped and delicately enamelled, illustrates the technical perfection of Qianlong enamelled wares. It is a close copy of a prototype from the reign of the Kangxi Emperor, whose fascination with the Western examples led to the establishment of the Imperial Enamel Workshop.
其他珍品包括雍正青花蓮口瓶，此器極為珍罕，僅另見一例傳世。其線條流麗婀娜，造型、紋飾以古為範，然搭配新穎，古為今用，切合君主崇古尚雅之好，見證雍正御瓷的精益求精、一絲不苟。
同場並呈乾隆三寶，包括雪霏地套寶石紅料蓋罐、青花八吉祥扁壺、銅胎北京畫琺瑯黃地牡丹圖酒壺。
套料蓋罐的設計、構圖、工藝、細節點綴至拋光打磨於方寸之間，底施套料年款，他例寥寥，即使在鼻煙壺中也少見。精緻的亭臺式蓋鈕，層次分明生動，展示了當時高超的藝術水平，堪為鬼斧神工。
扁壺摹倣前朝雅器，綴以八吉祥蓮瓣，輔以青花點苔，模擬十五世紀初之青花黑疵。此類扁壺雖然並不鮮見，但如此尺寸、瓶頸飾弦紋及如意耳者甚罕，殊不易得。
十七世紀西洋傳教士朝貢畫琺瑯工藝品，深得康熙皇帝喜愛，進而創設宮廷琺瑯作，御製此類銅胎畫琺瑯器。此乾隆酒壺，以康熙雛本為原型，色彩瑰麗，乃當朝精湛之作，反映宮廷華風、精湛技藝。
The sale includes twenty-three Chinese bronzes, carefully selected and put aside by the gallery Sydney L. Moss over three decades, which encompass all the major categories of post-archaic bronzes, including incense burners, archaistic vessels, hand warmers and religious figures, reflecting the refined taste of the official scholar elite from the Song to Qing dynasties.
拍賣以 Sydney L. Moss 藝廊珍藏晚期銅器作結。在過去三十寒暑，傾其熱忱，搜珍集寶，成就其藏，精選銅器二十三件，上追蒙元，下攬明清，有熏爐、手爐、仿古器、佛道造像等，琳琅滿堂，訴述昔日文士的高華風雅。
