These lots have been imported from outside the EU … Read more

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE GHEZZI FAMILY, SWITZERLANDThe Ghezzi family of Zurich had always been passionate about Far Eastern art, and as early as the 1930s, but especially in the 1960s, Mr Fermo Ghezzi and his wife Sonja made numerous visits to China, which inspired the growth of their collection. In the 1940s, they opened several jewellery and antique shops in St. Moritz and Zurich. Their passion was passed on to the next generation and their son, in particular, was a keen enthusiast, and continued to collect avidly across many different fields including Chinese and Japanese art. He shared this enthusiasm with his wife, and they both travelled extensively, from New York to Beijing, via Paris, London, Geneva and Hong Kong, in search of works of art to add to their collection.

A BRONZE CENSER AND COVER, FANGDING

18TH CENTURY

Details

A BRONZE CENSER AND COVER, FANGDING
18TH CENTURY

The rectangular censer is raised on four cylindrical legs and applied to the sides with eight flanges separating archaistic dragons reserved on a geometric ground, all below a band of ruyi heads. The cover is cast with two stylised shou characters and further archaistic dragons encircling the bulbous finial which is decorated with four phoenix.
19½ in. (49.5 cm.) high

Provenance

Christie's Hong Kong, 5-6 November 1997, lot 949
Christie's Hong Kong, 30 April 2001, lot 772
The collection of the Ghezzi family, Switzerland

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

Further details

A LARGE ARCHAISTIC BRONZE CENSER AND COVER, FANGDING
CHINA, QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY

Brought to you by

Xichu CC Wang

xwang@christies.com +44 (0)20 7752 3234

Lot Essay

Chinese interest in fanggu, restoring the ancient ways, is evident not only in the revival of ceramic styles but in the reproduction of archaic bronzes. Appreciating antiques was a cultivated pastime of the learned class, and the noble pursuit could be found on paintings throughout the Yuan, Ming and Qing periods. See a painting by Wang Shugu (1649 - after 1731), Duke of Fengyang Enjoying Antiques, from the Tsui Museum collection, illustrated in Splendour of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1992, no.20, where hu and jue bronzes are depicted as treasures.

For a Shang prototype of this design, compare with a small fangding without the cover and cast with confronting kui dragons, included in the Exhibition of Chinese Art, Venice, 1954, Catalogue, no. 55, from the Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Cologne and the Fritz Low Beer Collections, and subsequently sold in our New York Rooms, 2 December 1985, lot 77. Compare also with another dated to the late Shang Dynasty with taller feet, sold in our New York Rooms, 2 December 1986, lot 318.

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