Chinese Rhinoceros Horn Libation Cup with Lotus and Fish

An 18th/19th century Chinese rhinoceros horn libation cup, of…
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An 18th/19th century Chinese rhinoceros horn libation cup, of deep chestnut colour, realistically carved and detailed as an unfurling lotus leaf supported within a framework of stalks of lotus blossoms and leaves, seeding millet, arrowhead and bulrush plants whose bent stalks are each undercut to form an open work base of interlacing fibrous roots protecting a fish carved amongst their fine growth. The interior incised with radiating and branching veins. Individually and together the plant species incorporate potent Chinese symbolism; the lotus for uncontaminated beauty, the arrowhead for benevolence, the millet for abundance, their intertwining symbolises harmony whilst the quail that fly above and the fish protected below represent abundance. Provenance: Our vendor's grandfather collected the cup in Cornwall, England before emigrating to New Zealand in early 1946 at the end of World War II. 16.1 x 9.8 x 8.3 cm A signed and witnessed affidavit of provenance from our vendor is available.

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  • Incised - A record of a name, date or inscription, or a decoration scratched into a surface, usually of a glass or ceramic item with a blunt instrument to make a coarse indentation. Compare with engraving where the surface is cut with a sharp instrument such as a metal needle or rotating tool to achieve a fine indentation.

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