A CHENXIANGMU 'PHOENIX & PEONIES' PLAYTHING 17th / 18th CENTURY

the wood of a deep brown tone, finely carved in the round as two phoenix with elaborate plumage and long tails, the addorsed pair nestled amidst flowering branches of peony, the reticulated boxwood stand in the form of a magnolia tree

The carving and the stand are overall in very good condition. The colours are consistent with 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."

The maker of this exquisite small carving of two fenghuang soaring down towards the flowering peony branches, has used one of the most highly esteemed wood types in China, the chenxiangmu. It is identified in Robert Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture: Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch’ing Dynasties, New York, 1970, p. 46, as lignaloes, a succulent wood from a species sometimes considered a tree, sometimes a shrub, and Sheila Riddell in Dated Chinese Antiquities 600-1650, London, 1979, p. 228, calls it gharu wood (aquilaria agallocha), a type held in the highest esteem, with the best quality sourced from Cambodia, according to Chau Ju-Kua, the renowned 12th century traveller. Furthermore, Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss in Arts from the Scholar’s Studio, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1986, p. 216, comments that chenxiangmu was frequently used for burning as incense. See a small brushrest in the form of a mountainous landscape with a scholar strolling by a river, included ibid., pl. 199, where on p. 216, a number of small chenxiangmu cups are mentioned.