China, 1368-1700, most likely early 15^th century. Shown with head raised and turned slightly to the right, with fine incision work detailing the hair on the neck, spine, tail, and legs. The small hound shows a calm, obedient expression with large eyes and both the tail and ears lowered, the legs elegantly placed on the underside.

Provenance: The James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection, Chicago, USA. Over four decades, the renowned couple assembled a remarkable collection with some of the biggest names of modern art, including René Magritte, Frida Kahlo, Joan Miró and Jean Dubuffet, as well as a significant number of highly important Chinese works of art. Married in 1952, James and Marilynn built a life centered on art, philanthropy and family. ‘My grandparents were the picture of elegance, and they had impeccable taste, but to their family they were known for their warmth, wit, and humor,’ recalls Bridget Alsdorf, the couple’s granddaughter.
Published: The Arts Club of Chicago, Chinese Art from the Collection of James W. and Marilynn Alsdorf, Chicago, 1970, B35, exhibited between 21 September and 13 November 1970.
Condition: Good condition with wear to gilt and some minor surface scratches, few minuscule nicks, the right front paw with old repair, malachite-green encrustations here and there. Attractive natural patina.

Weight: 151.7 g
Dimensions: Length 6 cm

This bronze weight is exceptional for the extraordinary quality of its gilding and the fine details. The animal’s relaxed pose is rendered in a highly naturalistic manner, in contrast to its exaggerated bulging eyes.

Paperweights of this type originate from bronze mat weights made in the Western Han dynasty, although their popularity increased in the Tang period when bronze and jade versions were made in relatively large numbers. Small animal sculptures such as the present were made from the early Ming dynasty, due to a renewed interest in bronze wares for the scholar’s desk during the Xuande reign. Examples from this period, however, are very rare, and no other paperweight of this form and design appears to have been published.

Expert’s note: While bronze weights of this type were produced well into the Qing dynasty, the style and quality of casting and carving as well as the exceptional gilding clearly indicate an early fifteenth century date.

Auction result comparison: Compare with a related bronze weight depicting a mythical beast offered by Sotheby’s New York in Important Chinese Art on 20 March 2019, lot 550, bought-in at an estimate of USD 60,000-80,000, and a gilt-bronze paperweight depicting a hound and bird offered by Sotheby’s Hong Kong in Scholarly Works from the Mary and George Block Collection on 23 October 2005, lot 63, bought-in at an estimate of HKD 350,000-400,000.

明或清初罕見鎏金銅臥犬鎮紙
中國，1368-1700，更可能是十五世紀初。如圖所示，犬首抬起並稍微向右轉，頸部、脊柱、尾巴和腿部毛髮表現細緻生動。小獵犬神情鎮定，大眼睛、尾巴和耳朵低垂，腿優雅地放在了下側。

來源：美國芝加哥James and Marilynn Alsdorf 收藏。在過去的40年中，這對著名的夫婦收集了一系列非凡的藏品，其中包括一些現代藝術名人的作品，如René Magritte，Frida Kahlo，Joan Miró 和Jean Dubuffet，以及大量非常重要的中國藝術品。 詹姆斯和瑪麗琳於1952年結婚，創造了以藝術、慈善事業和家庭為中心的生活。 他們的孫女布里奇特·阿爾斯多夫（Bridget Alsdorf）回憶說：“我的祖父母是優雅的體現，他們的品位無可挑剔，但對他們的家人而言，他們以熱情、機智和幽默而著稱。”
圖片：James and Marilynn Alsdorf，攝於1950邁阿密
出版: The Arts Club of Chicago, Chinese Art from the Collection of James W. and Marilynn Alsdorf, Chicago, 1970, B35, exhibited between 21 September and 13 November 1970.
品相：狀況良好，鎏金磨損，一些輕微的表面划痕，極少的微小划痕，右前爪舊時經過修復，多處銅綠色結殼，天然銅綠包漿。

重量：151.7 克
尺寸：長6 厘米

專家注釋：這種類型的鎏金銅鎮紙在清代就很流行了，但其鑄造和雕刻的風格與質量以及出色的鍍金清楚地表明了十五世紀初風格特徵。

拍賣結果比較：一件相近的青銅獸形鎮紙曾見於紐約蘇富比Important Chinese Art拍場，2019年3月20日，lot 550, 估價USD 60,000-80,000；另一件鎏金銅犬與鳥的鎮紙見於香港蘇富比Scholarly Works from the Mary and George Block Collection拍場，2005年10月23日，lot 63，估價HKD 350,000-400,000.