A JADE-INLAID PEWTER ‘DEER WITH LINGZHI’ ARCHAISTIC VESSEL AND COVER, FU, QING DYNASTY
China, Shantou, 19th century. Finely cast, the rectangular vessel supported on a spreading foot, the body flaring towards the rim, flanked by two dragon-form handles inlaid with jade. The cover is cast in relief with a recumbent deer neatly incised with spots and tufts of hair, the ungulate with a coral lingzhi in its mouth, the eyes inlaid with jadeite.

The cover further incised with a bed of grass with rockwork and a floral spray. The vessel with a band of key-fret below the rim and incised with archaic inscriptions to each side and the top of the rim. The separately cast liner, vessel, and cover, each impressed with a shop mark.


Inscriptions:
The shop marks on the interior of the lid, recessed base of the vessel, and along the base of the detachable section read, ‘Chaoyang. Made in Shantou in the old shop of Yan Yuxing. Authentic Diantong [pewter], no bartering’.


Provenance:
French trade.

Condition:
Good condition with expected old wear, some casting flaws, soldering marks, surfaces scratches, nicks, and small losses.One antler with a small repair.

Weight: 2,570 g
Dimensions: Width 27.3 cm


The present vessel is modeled after the archaic bronze fu,
which was a ritual vessel used to contain food during the Zhou dynasty. The Qianlong Emperor was known to be a zealous collector of archaic bronze vessels and commissioned the publication of the Xiqing gujian (Xiqing mirror of antiquities), an illustrated catalog of his bronze collection. This publication, compiled in 1749, provided models for many of the works of art produced in various materials for the Imperial Court during this period. Vessels of this type were displayed in pairs on the right side of offering tables at the Temple to Imperial Ancestors. They contained cereal offerings of millet, rice or sorghum.


Literature comparison:

Compare a related bronze archaistic vessel, fu, dated to the Song/Ming dynasty, at Bonhams New York, 15 March 2021, lot 4. Compare a related imperial gilt-lacquered and jade-inlaid archaistic vessel and cover, fu, dated to the Qianlong period, at Galerie Zacke, Vienna, 10 March 2023, lot 284. Compare a related lime-green porcelain archaistic vessel, fu, dated to the Guangxu period, at Sotheby’s London, 15 May 2007, lot 569. Compare a related cloisonne enamel archaistic vessel, dated to the Qianlong period, at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 November 2012, lot 2220. Compare a related zitan wood archaistic vessel, fu, dated 19th century, at Bonhams New York, 30 October 2017, lot 85.




清代錫合金鑲玉《鹿啣靈芝》蓋簠

中國，汕頭，十九世紀。鑄工精良，此器呈長方形，口外侈，腹下收，下有四矩形短足。上有蓋，蓋與器形狀相同，合成一體。兩側有鑲玉龍形提手。 蓋面浮雕一頭臥鹿，可見斑點和簇毛，口含珊瑚雕靈芝，眼睛鑲嵌翡翠。蓋子上還刻有假山和花卉卷草。下方邊緣有一條雷紋帶，邊緣兩側和頂部均刻有銘文。 單獨鑄造的內膽、容器和蓋子。


款識：
是器飾以蟠螭，周启重雷耳作螭首是周器也；潮陽，店住汕頭，顏裕興老店，真料點銅；真不二價


來源：
法國古玩交易。

來源：
狀況良好，有磨損、一些鑄造缺陷、焊接痕跡、表面劃痕、刻痕和小缺損。一枝鹿角有小修補。

重量：2,570 克
尺寸：寬 27.3 厘米


文獻比較：

比較一件相近的宋/明銅簠，見紐約邦翰斯，2021年3月15日，lot 4。比較一件相近的乾隆時期御製鑲玉金漆簠，見維也納Galerie Zacke，2023年3月10日，lot 284。比較一件相近的光緒時期檸檬黃仿古簠，見倫敦蘇富比，2007年5月15日，lot 569。比較一件相近的清乾隆掐絲琺瑯獸面紋簠式爐，見香港佳士得，2012年11月28日，lot 2220。比較一件相近的十九世紀紫檀錯銀絲禮器兩件，見紐約邦翰斯，2017年10月30日，lot 85。