A BRONZE ‘KUI DRAGON’ SCROLL WEIGHT MING DYNASTY

intricately cast as two kui dragons on a thin stem with lobed terminals, each depicted clambering away from the other and turning their heads to look in the same direction, their sinuous bodies picked out with strong limbs, raised spines and interlocking bifid tails, depicted bearing branches in their mouths with lingzhi extending over their bodies, incised to the underside of the stem with a six-character Xuande mark

Acquired at Portobello Road Antiques Market, London, 1978.

There is a crack of 1.3cm that runs on the underside and through the tail. Other minor bruises and dents to the extremities.
"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."

Sinuous kui and chi dragons were a popular subject for scholars’ objects, as noted by the Ming dynasty scholar Wen Zhenheng (1585-1645) in his Zhang wu zhi ('Treaties on superfluous things') where he discusses brushrests in the form of two interlocking dragons, noting that they were the most desirable type (see the catalogue to the exhibition China’s Renaissance in Bronze. The Robert H. Clague Collection of Later Chinese Bronzes 1100-1900, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, 1993, p. 205). A rectangular iron weight surmounted by a single chilong, from the Mary and George Bloch and the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat collections, was sold twice in these rooms, 23rd October 2005, lot 3, and 8th April 2013, lot 140; and another is illustrated in Elegant Offerings from the Scholar’s Studio. The Jiangsong Ge Collection, Hong Kong, 2002, cat. no. 14.

Rectangular weights decorated with chi and kui dragons were made in a variety of materials; see for example a jade scroll weight sold in our London rooms, 7th June 1994, lot 137; another from the collection of Gerald Godfrey, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 30th October 1995, lot 825; and a zitan example sold in our New York rooms, 29th November 1994, lot 419. 

In Hawthorn's opinion, the quality of the openwork casting and specifically, the delicately incised mark, point to this brushrest being one of the rare Xuande-marked bronze vessels which are indeed of the period.