5th Mar, 2021 10:00
TWO-DAY AUCTION - Fine Chinese Art / 中國藝術集珍 / Buddhism & Hinduism
36
A CARVED TIANHUANG ‘BUDDHIST LION’ SEAL FOR LI GAO
李高款田黃獅鈕方印
Sold for €8,216
including Buyer's Premium
China, Qing Dynasty, 1644-1912. Of rectangular form, surmounted by a finely carved Buddhist lion with a curly mane, furcated tail, elegantly curved horn, ruyi-shaped nose, sharp fangs, and quizzical expression with bulging eyes. The seal face is carved with a four-character seal, reading ‘Book collection of Li Gao’, the stone of an attractive warm variegated brownish-orange color.
Provenance: From a British private estate.
Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear, light scratches, microscopic nibbling to edges, the stone with natural fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairlines over time.
Weight: 25.8 g
Dimensions: Size 3.5 x 2.5 x 2 cm
The exceptional coloration and luminosity of this tianhuang stone are skillfully accentuated through its intricately carved details which reveal the layers of subtle golden hues. The combination of carving in the round and low-relief detailing effectively capture the light as it shines on and passes through the seal to further intensify the richness of color.
Tianhuang is a type of soapstone that is highly valued for its warm yellow tones and lustrous sheen and was considered the rival to the finest and purest jade. Apart from being graded by its color, tianhuang was also priced according to its weight rather than size, hence making it one of the most expensive materials to carve.
Auction result comparison: Compare with a related tianhuang Buddhist lion seal of larger size at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in Important Chinese Art on 3 April 2018, lot 3644, sold for HKD 1,125,000, and another of closely related size (3.5 x 2.7 x 2 cm) at Christie’s Hong Kong in The Imperial Sale / Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 28 May 2014, lot 3578, sold for HKD 1,000,000.
李高款田黃獅鈕方印
中國，清朝，1644-1912。長方形，精雕細刻的獅鈕，捲曲的鬃毛，尾巴分叉，如意狀的鼻子，尖銳的獠牙，眼睛圓鼓，表情生動。寫著“李高藏書”。溫潤的黃棕色石頭。
來源：英國私人遺產
品相：狀況極佳，輕微磨損與划痕，微小的邊緣缺損，天然裂縫。
重量：25.8 克
尺寸：3.5 x 2.5 x 2 厘米
拍賣結果比較：一件相似田黃獅鈕方印，售于香港蘇富比Important Chinese Art 拍場2018年4月 3日，售價HKD 1,125,000；另一件尺寸大小相似的方印，售于香港佳士得The Imperial Sale / Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 拍場2014年5月28日，lot 3578, 售價HKD 1,000,000。
China, Qing Dynasty, 1644-1912. Of rectangular form, surmounted by a finely carved Buddhist lion with a curly mane, furcated tail, elegantly curved horn, ruyi-shaped nose, sharp fangs, and quizzical expression with bulging eyes. The seal face is carved with a four-character seal, reading ‘Book collection of Li Gao’, the stone of an attractive warm variegated brownish-orange color.
Provenance: From a British private estate.
Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear, light scratches, microscopic nibbling to edges, the stone with natural fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairlines over time.
Weight: 25.8 g
Dimensions: Size 3.5 x 2.5 x 2 cm
The exceptional coloration and luminosity of this tianhuang stone are skillfully accentuated through its intricately carved details which reveal the layers of subtle golden hues. The combination of carving in the round and low-relief detailing effectively capture the light as it shines on and passes through the seal to further intensify the richness of color.
Tianhuang is a type of soapstone that is highly valued for its warm yellow tones and lustrous sheen and was considered the rival to the finest and purest jade. Apart from being graded by its color, tianhuang was also priced according to its weight rather than size, hence making it one of the most expensive materials to carve.
Auction result comparison: Compare with a related tianhuang Buddhist lion seal of larger size at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in Important Chinese Art on 3 April 2018, lot 3644, sold for HKD 1,125,000, and another of closely related size (3.5 x 2.7 x 2 cm) at Christie’s Hong Kong in The Imperial Sale / Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 28 May 2014, lot 3578, sold for HKD 1,000,000.
李高款田黃獅鈕方印
中國，清朝，1644-1912。長方形，精雕細刻的獅鈕，捲曲的鬃毛，尾巴分叉，如意狀的鼻子，尖銳的獠牙，眼睛圓鼓，表情生動。寫著“李高藏書”。溫潤的黃棕色石頭。
來源：英國私人遺產
品相：狀況極佳，輕微磨損與划痕，微小的邊緣缺損，天然裂縫。
重量：25.8 克
尺寸：3.5 x 2.5 x 2 厘米
拍賣結果比較：一件相似田黃獅鈕方印，售于香港蘇富比Important Chinese Art 拍場2018年4月 3日，售價HKD 1,125,000；另一件尺寸大小相似的方印，售于香港佳士得The Imperial Sale / Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 拍場2014年5月28日，lot 3578, 售價HKD 1,000,000。
Zacke Live Online Bidding
Our online bidding platform makes it easier than ever to bid in our auctions! When you bid through our website, you can take advantage of our premium buyer's terms without incurring any additional online bidding surcharges.
To bid live online, you'll need to create an online account. Once your account is created and your identity is verified, you can register to bid in an auction up to 12 hours before the auction begins.
Intended Spend and Bid Limits
When you register to bid in an online auction, you will need to share your intended maximum spending budget for the auction. We will then review your intended spend and set a bid limit for you. Once you have pre-registered for a live online auction, you can see your intended spend and bid limit by going to 'Account Settings' and clicking on 'Live Bidding Registrations'.
Your bid limit will be the maximum amount you can bid during the auction. Your bid limit is for the hammer price and is not affected by the buyer’s premium and VAT. For example, if you have a bid limit of €1,000 and place two winning bids for €300 and €200, then you will only be able to bid €500 for the rest of the auction. If you try to place a bid that is higher than €500, you will not be able to do so.
Online Absentee and Telephone Bids
You can now leave absentee and telephone bids on our website!
Absentee Bidding
Once you've created an account and your identity is verified, you can leave your absentee bid directly on the lot page. We will contact you when your bids have been confirmed.
Telephone Bidding
Once you've created an account and your identity is verified, you can leave telephone bids online. We will contact you when your bids have been confirmed.
Classic Absentee and Telephone Bidding Form
You can still submit absentee and telephone bids by email or fax if you prefer. Simply fill out the Absentee Bidding/Telephone bidding form and return it to us by email at office@zacke.at or by fax at +43 (1) 532 04 52 20. You can download the PDF from our Upcoming Auctions page.
How-To Guides
How to Create Your Personal Zacke Account
How to Register to Bid on Zacke Live
How to Leave Absentee Bids Online
How to Leave Telephone Bids Online
中文版本的操作指南
创建新账号
注册Zacke Live在线直播竞拍（免平台费）
缺席投标和电话投标
Third-Party Bidding
We partner with best-in-class third-party partners to make it easy for you to bid online in the channel of your choice. Please note that if you bid with one of our third-party online partners, then there will be a live bidding surcharge on top of your final purchase price. You can find all of our fees here. Here's a full list of our third-party partners:
- 51 Bid Live
- EpaiLive
- ArtFoxLive
- Invaluable
- LiveAuctioneers
- the-saleroom
- lot-tissimo
- Drouot
Please note that we place different auctions on different platforms. For example, in general, we only place Chinese art auctions on 51 Bid Live.
Bidding in Person
You must register to bid in person and will be assigned a paddle at the auction. Please contact us at office@zacke.at or +43 (1) 532 04 52 for the latest local health and safety guidelines.
