A CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER POURING VESSEL, YI First half 17th century Based on the archaic bronze ritual pouring vessel, yi, the oval vessel standing on a short foot, the sides finely carved with birds perched on flowering prunus and peony branches on a hatched-pattern ground under a key-fret band, the rim with an everted lip opposite the mythical-beast loop handle, the interior and base painted black. 11.5cm (4 1/2in) long. Footnotes: Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價 十七世紀上半葉 剔紅花鳥紋匜 Provenance: M.Doullens, French Ambassador to China in Beijing before 1914. Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: Roger Keverne Ltd., Winter Exhibition, London, 2008, no.104. 來源：M.Doullens舊藏，曾於1914年前作為法國駐中大使任職於北京 展覽著錄：Roger Keverne Ltd.，《冬季展覽》，倫敦，2008年，編號104 A similar pair of carved red lacquer pouring vessels supported on short feet is illustrated in Im Zeichen des Drachen: Von der Schonheit chinesischer Lacker, Hommage an Fritz Low-Beer, Stuttgart, 2006, p.114, no.63. See also a pair, in the collection of the Linden-Museum, Stuttgart, illustrated by P.Frick and M.Prüch, Im Zeichen des Drachen: Von der Schönheit chinesischer Lacke, Hommage an Fritz Löw-Beer, Munich, 2006, no.63. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com