A GILT BRONZE 'LION' WEIGHT WITH A MATCHING ZITAN BASE, CHINA, 16TH-17TH CENTURY

Finely cast in a crouching position, its face turned to the left, the mouth ajar revealing sharp fangs, the ears tucked to the sides framing bulging eyes below curly eyebrows, the spine framed by tufts of hair and terminating in a long tail swept to one side.

With a matching openwork Zitan stand, finely carved in the form of rockwork with lingzhi, dating from the same period.

The belly neatly incised with an apocryphal four-character kaishu mark Xuande nianzhi.

Provenance: Colette Chan's Asian Art, Taipei. The private collection of Jules Speelman, London, acquired from the above. Sotheby's New York, 20 September 2023, lot 805 mid-estimate USD 12,500 or approx. EUR 11,500 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). The bronze with a label inscribed 'H1059' and 'WI:C190'. Colette Chan is a Taiwan based specialist in Chinese ceramics and Himalayan works of art with over 20 years of experience. She worked at Christie's auction house from 1997 to 2012 and later established Weiyu Shushi in Taipei which specializes in the promotion of Chinese cultural antiques and artworks. Jules Speelman is a world-leading dealer and collector of East Asian art with 60 years of experience. In 1964 he joined his late father, Alfred, in the family business which already stretched back three generations to 19th century Holland and expanded into England around the turn of the century. Originally, A & J Speelman dealt with antiques, from European ceramics, silver, tapestries, and furniture to Chinese porcelain, and works of art. With his father, Jules gradually shifted the focus towards Asia and under Jules Speelman's skilled direction, A & J Speelman is now considered amongst the foremost dealers in Asian antiques, with a particular emphasis on figurative sculpture and works of art from the past 2000 years.
Condition: Very good condition with expected old wear, casting irregularities, rubbing and minor losses to gilt, shallow surface scratches, few small nicks. The bronze with a rich, naturally grown, lustrous patina. The Zitan stand with age cracks, small losses, and a fine patina overall.
Important notice: Please note that the Zitan base can only be shipped within the European Union.

Weight: 522 g (excl. stand), 653g (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Length 8.4 cm (excl. stand)

With a padded silk storage box. (3)

This finely cast gilt-bronze figure of a crouching lion is one of a small number of high quality late Ming dynasty paperweights with Xuande reign marks, the current example intricately incised with four characters in kaishu. Small animal sculptures such as the present lot were made from the early Ming dynasty, due to a renewed interest in bronze wares for the scholar's desk during the Xuande reign.

Paperweights of this type originate from bronze mat weights made in the Western Han dynasty, although their popularity increased in the Tang period when bronze and jade versions were made in relatively large numbers. The Guyu tu (Illustrated Compendium of Ancient Jades) records that Zhao Mengfu once acquired an ancient jade bixie for use as a paperweight, illustrating the practice of repurposing admired antiquities for scholarly use.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby's New York, 22 September 2021, lot 125
Price: USD 81,900 or approx. EUR 82,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gilt-bronze 'mythical beast' weight, Ming dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of casting, and gilding. Note the similar size (7 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's London, 6 November 2018, lot 27
Price: GBP 22,500 or approx. EUR 34,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gilt bronze figure of a Buddhist lion, 17th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of casting, gilding, and subject. Note the size (11.7 cm) and extensive wear to the gilt.

13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer's premium - only for buyers within the EU.