China, 1736-1795. Each bird modeled standing with outstretched wings, the plumage finely enameled in white and accentuated in dark blue near the wings and beaks, the feathers well detailed in gilt wire, the head lowered supporting the drip pans decorated with floral motifs on turquoise ground, the beak holding a ball, and standing on gilt clawed feet.

Provenance: From an old Austrian private collection.
Condition: Good condition commensurate with age. Some wear, the figures leaning, with warping, bends, obvious losses, minor nicks and dents, and expected touchups. The wood stands with few nicks and light surface scratches.

Weight: 425 g and 440 g (excl. base), 514 g and 520 g (incl. base)
Dimensions: Height 24.8 cm and 25.7 cm (excl. base), 28.6 cm and 29 cm (incl. base)

With two fitted wood stands, dating from the late Qing dynasty to the Republic period. (4)

Literature comparison:
Compare a single cloisonné bird candlestick with cloisonné stand, described as petrel, dated to the mid-Qing period, from the Qing Court Collection at the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Metal-bodied Enamel Ware, Hong Kong, 2002, p. 159, pl. 151. Compare also a closely related pair from the National Palace Museum, illustrated in Chen Hsia-Sheng, Enamel Ware in the Ming and Ch'ing Dynasties, Taipei, 1999, pl. 55. A related example from a private collection is illustrated in Zhang Xin, ed., Colorful, Elegant, and Exquisite: A Special Exhibition of Imperial Enamel Ware from Mr. Robert Chang's Collection, Suzhou, 2007, p. 72. Another related cloisonné bird candlestick holder, formerly in the Kitson Collection, is illustrated in Sir Harry Garner, Chinese and Japanese Cloisonné Enamels, London, 1970, pl. 74B.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams London, 5 November 2009, lot 42
Price: GBP 20,400 or approx. EUR 37,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare pair of cloisonné enamel 'bird and tortoise' candlesticks, Qianlong
Expert remark: Compare the related pose, colors, and size (24.4 cm). Note the cloisonné bases.



乾隆時期一對銅胎掐絲琺瑯鳥形燭檯
中國，1736-1795年。每隻鳥都張開雙翼站立，羽毛以白色精美琺瑯描繪，並在翅膀和喙附近以深藍色突出，羽毛用鎏金線條突出細節。鳥低著頭，頭頂綠松石色地纏枝花卉紋的滴盤，鳥爪鎏金。

來源：奧地利私人收藏。
品相：品相良好，一些磨損，燭檯稍有傾斜、翹曲、缺損，輕微的刻痕和凹痕，以及小修補。木底座有些為刻痕和輕微劃痕。

重量：分別爲425 克與 440 克 (不含底座)，514 克與520 可 (含底座)
尺寸：高 24.8 厘米與25.7 厘米 (不含底座)，28.6 厘米與29 厘米 (含底座)

清末民初木底座 (4)

文獻比較：
比較一件明中期銅胎掐絲琺瑯鳥形燭檯，被描述為海燕，來自北京故宮清廷收藏，見《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集：金屬琺瑯器》，香港，2002年，頁159，圖151。比較一對非常相近的燭檯，收藏於臺北故宮博物院，見Chen Hsia-Sheng，《Enamel Ware in the Ming and Ch'ing Dynasties》，臺北，1999，圖55.。一件相近的私人收藏例子 ，見Zhang Xin編，《絢麗、華貴、至尊：香港張宗憲先生珍藏御製宮廷掐絲琺瑯特展》，蘇州，2007年，頁72。另一件相近的銅胎掐絲琺瑯鳥形燭檯 ，曾收藏於Kitson Collection，見Sir Harry Garner，《Chinese and Japanese Cloisonné Enamels》，倫敦，1970，圖74B。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：倫敦邦瀚斯，2009年11月5日，lot 42
價格：GBP 20,400（相當於今日EUR 37,500）
描述：乾隆一對銅胎掐絲琺瑯鳥形燭檯
專家評論：比較相近的姿勢、顏色和尺寸(24.4 厘米)。請注意此燭檯的底座。

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