A BAMBOO-HANDLE AGATE CUP, MING DYNASTY China, 1368-1644. The deep rounded sides rising from a short and thick ring foot to an everted rim and set with a bamboo handle on the side. The translucent stone of a creamy white color with bands and shadings of amber tone and dark russet streaks. Provenance: Collection particuliere de Monsieur P., Paris, France. An Austrian private collector, acquired from the above. Condition: Minor old wear, smoothened minute chips and losses, the stone with natural fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks over time. Weight: 46.9 g Dimensions: Width 7.6 cm (at the widest) Expert's note: The present lot has a small 'bump' to the exterior, a natural flaw the lapidary was unable to avoid due to the presence of a small inclusion seen in the same spot at the interior of the cup. Had the lapidary continued polishing this area, the cup would have had a small hole and therefore been unusable. Due to the high value of agate at the time, the carver decided to leave this small imperfection to save the cup and not waste the material. This flaw, among several other aspects, is a definite indicator of a very old carving. Auction result comparison: Compare a related but larger (12 cm wide) agate bamboo-handle cup, dated to the 17th century, at Sotheby's Hong Kong in China / 5000 Years on 5 June 2020, lot 428, sold for HKD 275,000, and a related banded agate cup, dated Yuan to Ming dynasty, but of larger size (13.3 cm wide), at Christie's New York in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 23 March 2012, lot 1937, sold for USD 20,000. 明代瑪瑙竹節耳杯 中國，1368-1644年。半透明花瑪瑙質地，灰白色瑪瑙中有琥珀色與赤褐色斑紋。杯子為不規則圓形，圈足，竹節式耳。 來源：法國巴黎 P.先生特別收藏。奧地利私人收藏，購於上述收藏。 品相：輕微的舊時磨損，平滑的微小磕損，具有天然脈理的石料，其中一些隨著時間的推移可能會發展成細小的裂縫。 重量：46.9 克 尺寸：寬7.6 厘米 (最寬處) 專家注釋: 本拍品的外壁有一個小“凸起”，這是自然缺陷，因為在杯子內部的同一位置發現了一個小內含物。 如果寶石匠繼續拋光這個區域，杯子就可能會有一個小洞，而導致無法使用。 由於當時瑪瑙的價值很高。爲了不浪費材料，雕刻師決定留下這個小瑕疵。 除了其他幾個方面，這個缺陷是非常古老的雕刻的明確標誌。 拍賣結果比較：一件相近但更大 (寬12 厘米) 的瑪瑙竹節耳杯，十七世紀，香港蘇富比 China / 5000 Years 2020年6月5日 lot 428, 售價HKD 275,000, 一件帶狀瑪瑙杯，元至明代，但尺寸更大 (13.3 厘米寬), 紐約佳士得 Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 2012年3月 23日lot 1937, 售價USD 20,000。