清十七至十八世紀初 牙雕麒麟吐水擺件 |

倫敦佳士得2011年5月10日，編號218

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我們很高興為您提供上述拍品狀況報告。由於敝公司非專業修復人員，在此敦促您向其他專業修復人員索取諮詢，以獲得更詳盡、專業之報告。

準買家應該檢查每款拍品以確認其狀況，蘇富比所作的任何陳述均為專業主觀看法而非事實陳述。準買家應參考有關該拍賣的重要通知（見圖錄）。

雖然本狀況報告或有針對某拍品之討論，但所有拍賣品均根據印於圖錄內之業務規則以拍賣時狀況出售。

High quality ivory carvings, such as the present piece, are likely to have been products of the Ivory Workshop belonging to the Imperial Palace Workshops (Zaobanchu) located in the Forbidden City. The strength of the carving is shown by the toned musculature and expressiveness of the qilin, and the soft, dynamic flow of their postures which masterly captures the spirit of the animal.

The quality of the carving and the dynamism of the expression and powerful poised body is reminiscent of that on a carving of a lion with a boy and lion cub from the Qing court collection, preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings. The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 160.

Depictions of qilin are a rare subject matter on works of art created in the early Qing dynasty, in contrast to the more commonly found Buddhist lion. For examples in cloisonné enamel, see a single figure of a standing qilin from the Qing Court collection, preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Metal-bodied Enamel Ware, Hong Kong, 2002, p. 168, no. 160. See also the majestic pair of cloisonné enamel qilin similarly depicted with one paw raised on rockwork, from the Ruxton and Audrey Love collection, sold at Christie’s New York, 20th October 2010, lot 610, and now in the collection of Robert H. Blumenfield.