A CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL FIGURE OF A RAM, 18TH CENTURYChina. The bronze finely modeled in a recumbent pose with one front leg bent. The head slightly turned towards the left, the mouth agape, the ribbed horns distinctly curled, the hind legs tucked beneath the body. The white fur neatly detailed in fine wires with swirling circles.Provenance: Stefanos Lagonico, Alexandria, and thence by descent over several generations in the same family. Stefanos Lagonico was a member of the wealthy Greekmunity of Alexandria whose family settled in Egypt in the late 19th century. His collection of important Iznik ceramics was formed after the First World War,prising mostly plates and jugs from the classic period (post 1570). At least six pieces from this collection were included in the important 1925 Exposition d'Art Musulman in Alexandria. Lagonico eventually left Egypt for Switzerland, just before the rise of nationalism and the abolition of the Capitulations in May 1937. His son Jean, an importer of dried fruits and nuts from the Levant, inherited most of the collection, and kept it in obscurity at his house in southern France until its dispersal at auction beginning in 1991.Condition: Good condition with old wear and expected manufacturing irregularities such as pitting, the right front leg with a minor old repair.Weight: 489.4 g (excl. base), 701.7 g (incl. base)Dimensions: Length 16 cm (excl. base) and 16.1 cm (the base)With a fitted huali wood base dating from the late 19th century. (2)Auction resultparison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Christie’s London, 26 October 2011, lot 1144Price: GBP 4,750 or approx.EUR 7,800 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A pair of Chinese cloisonne enamel rams, 18th centuryExpert remark: Note the near-identical related size (16 cm) and that this lotprises a pairAuction resultparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Sotheby’s London, 14 May 2014, lot 306Price: GBP 15,000 or approx.EUR 22,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A pair of cloisonné enamel rams, Qing dynasty, 18th centuryExpert remark: Note the gilt details and that this lotprises a pair十八世紀銅胎掐絲琺瑯臥羊中國。羊以右前腿彎曲，臥姿精心塑造；頭略微偏向左側，張大嘴巴，羊角捲曲，後腿夾在身體下方。羊身白地渦旋狀捲曲細線。