This Chinese carved antique rhino horn made 75,000 at hammer at Mealy's.
THE lure of the rhino horn worked its magic in Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny today. The sale of an antique horn for 75,000 to a Beijing buyer helped Mealy’s to their most successful day ever. A 19th century massive antique Chinese carved full tip rhonoceros horn “Lotus” libation cup sold for 75,000 on day one of a two day fine and decorative art sale. A Beijing buyer snapped it up. The 15.5 inch high horn, described as probably Qing Dynasty, is in the form of a lotus leaf on a curved stem. Profusely carved, it incorporates typical motifs such as flowers, crabs bats, birds and mythical creatures.
The luck of the Chinese did not end there. An Imperial carved laquer Dragon Vase made 65,000 at the same sale. It went to another Beijing buyer. The seal mark on the vase is inscribed in Chinese and Manchu “Yang Xin Dian” of the Forbidden Palace, Beijing. The Qianlong period red lacquer vase is carved on bronze with four five-clawed dragons in relief against a basket type weave design. The rim is carved with Greek key, leaf scroll and floral design. The vase is flanked with two bronze deer head handles, the body is carved with Chinese emblems and symbols on a circular floral carved foot.
A 19th century tall Chinese full-tip Rhinoceros horn depicting a man and child by a flowering lotus tree with scrolling openwork branches on a lotus carved dome foot made 43,000. With just half of the 1,200 lots on offer sold on day one the sale has already realised around 400,000. This exceeds the internal estimate by Mealy’s for the entire two day sale. The auction continues on October 5.
See post on antiquesandartireland.com for September 26.
A Chinese full-tip Rhinoceros horn carving made 43,000 at hammer at Mealy's.
This Dragon Vase made 65,000 at hammer at Mealy's.