A RARE RHINOCEROS HORN ‘CHILONG’ POURING VESSEL, YI, LATE MING TO EARLY QING DYNASTY China, 17^th-18^th century. The deep rounded sides rising from a short foot with concave base to an incurved lip, the handle intricately carved in openwork as a clambering chilong flanking the short yet distinct spout. The translucent horn of a dark reddish-brown color.

Provenance: Estate of Dr. Otto Schwend, acquired between 1923 and 1925 in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, China and thence by descent in the same family. Dr. Otto Schwend (1892-1951), a German physician who lived in East Asia for fifteen years, first in Dongguan between 1923 and 1926, and subsequently in Bangkok, Thailand between 1926 and 1938. After serving as a military surgeon in World War I, he worked at a missionary hospital in Dongguan from 1923 and moved to Thailand three years later to open a private practice in Bangkok. As a successful doctor fluent in Chinese, he became an important figure in Bangkok, even treating members of the royal family. During his time in East Asia, Schwend built a substantial collection of Chinese and Thai art, which he brought back to Germany and has remained in the possession of his family for over 80 years.
Condition: Very good condition with old wear, few small nicks and losses, minor age cracks. Good, naturally grown patina with an elegant luster.

Weight: 64.1 g
Dimensions: Length 9.7 cm

The form of this vessel is directly inspired by an archaic drinking vessel, yi, and finished to a soft polish that sets off the warm tone of the material. The fine skill of the carver is here demonstrated by a masterfully worked handle, which is carved and pierced in high relief with a ferocious dragon climbing up the vessel walls with its muscular limbs and twisting its long neck to face away from the vessel.

Auction result comparison: Compare a related rhinoceros horn libation cup, 12 cm long, dated to the 18^th century, carved with two chilong to the interior, described as inspired by the yi, at Bonhams London in Fine Chinese Art on 14 May 2015, lot 249, sold for GBP 80,500.

This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore this item can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person. 明末清初罕見犀角螭龍杯
中國， 十七至十八世紀。深圓杯，圈足微微內凹，仿彝，執柄鏤空雕刻一條攀爬的螭龍。深紅褐色的半透明犀角。

來源：Dr. Otto Schwend收藏，1923 至1925年間購於中國廣東東莞，保存在同一家族至今。Dr. Otto Schwend (1892-1951) 是一位德國醫生，在東亞生活了 15 年。1923 年至 1926 年間，他先是在東莞，隨後 1926 年至 1938 年在泰國曼谷生活。在第一次世界大戰中擔任軍醫後，1923 年起他在東莞的一家教會醫院工作 。三年後移居泰國，在曼谷開設了一家私人診所。作為一名能說一口流利中文的成功醫生，他成為曼谷的重要人物，甚至為皇室成員提供治療。在東亞期間，Schwend收藏了大量的中國和泰國藝術品，並將其帶回德國，並一直由他的家人收藏超過 80 年。
品相：狀況極好，磨損，少量小劃痕和缺損，輕微的老化裂縫。良好的天然包漿帶有優雅的光澤。

重量: 64.1 克
尺寸：長 9.7 厘米

拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近的仿彝犀角杯，長12 厘米，十八世紀，杯內雕刻兩條螭龍，見倫敦邦翰思Fine Chinese Art 2015年5月14日 lot 249, 售價GBP 80,500。