A MAGNIFICENT PAIR OF CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL FIGURES OF CAPARISONED ELEPHANTS - photo 1
A MAGNIFICENT PAIR OF CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL FIGURES OF CAPARISONED ELEPHANTS - photo 2
A MAGNIFICENT PAIR OF CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL FIGURES OF CAPARISONED ELEPHANTS - photo 3
A MAGNIFICENT PAIR OF CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL FIGURES OF CAPARISONED ELEPHANTS - photo 4
A MAGNIFICENT PAIR OF CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL FIGURES OF CAPARISONED ELEPHANTS - photo 5

A MAGNIFICENT PAIR OF CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL FIGURES OF CAPARISONED ELEPHANTS

Starting price
HKD 3 000 000
Auction dateClassic
29.11.2022 13:30UTC +08:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
Event location
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 861868
Lot 3064 | A MAGNIFICENT PAIR OF CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL FIGURES OF CAPARISONED ELEPHANTS
A MAGNIFICENT PAIR OF CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL FIGURES OF CAPARISONED ELEPHANTS

QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

The elephants are modelled in mirror image, each standing foursquare with its head slightly turned to one side. The olive green body is inlaid with wavy gilded cloisons representing the wrinkled hide. The backs are adorned with a saddle and draped with a blanket enamelled with a lively upright five-clawed dragon, poised to capture a 'flaming pearl' floating amidst ruyi clouds, above crested waves breaking against jagged rocks on a blue ground. The back is set with a small gilt-bronze saddle cast and chased with lotus scrolls and embellished on both sides with turquoise and blue beads and surmounted by a square vase with loose ring handles.

20 3/4 in. (52.5 cm.) high





Provenance

Winston Churchill (1874-1965) Estate, by repute

Spink & Son Ltd., London

Aristotle Onassis (1906-1975)

The Estate of Maria Callas (1923-1977)

Boisgirard & Associes, Paris, 14 June 1978, lot 71

A & J Speelman Ltd., London

Christopher Bruckner, London

The Mandel Collection

Sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, Masterpieces of the Enameller's art from the Mandel Collection, 30 May 2012, lot 3907



Special notice


From time to time, Christie's may offer a lot which it owns in whole or in part. This is such a lot.
Applied technique:Metalwork
Medium:Copper
Historical era:Qing Dynasty
Place of origin:China, Eastern Asia, Asia
Auction house category:All other types of objects
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
18 Chater Road Central
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Preview
29.11.2022 – 29.11.2022
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