A LAC-BURGAUTE STEMCUP 17TH CENTURY

the deep rounded sides rising to an everted rim, finely inlaid in mother-of-pearl on black lacquer with a continuous riverscape of a scholar on his donkey followed by an attendant holding a fly whisk riding towards the river with a boat in the distance, the other side of the shore depicting two thatched pavilions nestled between trees, further inlaid with a fourteen-character inscription, all above a tall lead-filled base spreading to a circular foot, decorated overall with a floret-diaper ground between alternating triangle bands above a band of leafy floral scroll, the interior left unlacquered

Collection of Dr. Mène.
Collection of Mrs. Rosemary Yeoh.
J.J. Lally & Co., New York, January 1989.

The overall condition of the stemcup is very good. The mother-of-pearl is intact. There are a few natural cracks to the lacquer but no loss. The interior is lacquered in black and has not been relacquered - the surface is a dry and matte. The foot is filled with lead to add to the stability. The actual colour is a lot darker and closer to black than in the catalogue illustration and the actual size is 25% smaller than the catalogue illustration.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Stemcups made in the lac burgauté technique are extremely rare, although a related example was included in the exhibition One Man's Taste. Treasures from the Lakeside Pavilion, The Baur Collection, Geneva, 1988, p. 5; and a pair of stemcups was offered at Christie's London, 5/6^th July 1984, lot 612. Lacquer stemcups were generally lined with metal, probably silver or silvered copper, as the walls are too thin and delicate for use.

Several features make the present stemcup special and suggest that it may even be the work of the seventeenth century master artist, Jiang Qianli. Jiang specialized in inlaid lacquer and was known for his complete command of his medium, as seen by the perfectly arranged design patterns on his work. He used thousands of individual tiny pieces of shell foil and arranged them with great artistic control and creativity. The design may appear simple, yet its fashioning is extremely labour intensive. For examples of Jiang's work see an inlaid covered circular box included in the exhibition 2000 Years of Chinese Lacquer, The Art Gallery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1993, cat. no. 97; and another covered fluted box published in Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss, Arts from the Scholar's Studio, Hong Kong, 1986, pl. 144, where on p. 168 the authors discuss Jiang's style of inlaying.