清十八世紀 犀角雕仿古「饕餮」螭龍紋盃 《胡星岳作》款

masterfully carved in the form of an archaic bronze gong vessel, rising from a splayed foot to a flared rim, set with a channelled spout opposite a mythical animal's head projecting a 'D'-shaped handle and resting on a hollow base of square section, the body finely decorated with a central protruding register of taotie masks, between two stylized kui dragon forming another taotie under the spout and a frieze of confronted archaistic dragons encircling the stem, the inner rim and foot picked out with a band of leiwen, the square base with slightly domed sides similarly decorated with taotie, the austere form interrupted by a large chilong carved in openwork clambering through the handle, with a powerful writhing body and muscular limbs, its head emerging at the rim, the horn of a rich amber colour darkening to a deep coffee tone, the base engraved with a four-character recessed seal mark of the carver Hu Xingyue, fitted wood box

There is an old 2.2 cm age crack at the the back of the rim that has been secured with some wax fill and another thin crack (approx.1 cm) similarly secured to the rear side of the foot, but overall the rhinoceros horn libation cup is in excellent condition and finished to a beautiful patina.
"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."

此犀角盃，雕工雅致，屬少數作古青銅酒器觥器形者。雖此類犀角觥盃，可見於博物館藏及私人收藏，此品器底刻有名匠篆字款識，可見其歷史重要性。Jan Chapman 於其著作《中國的犀牛角雕刻藝術》，倫敦，1999年，頁129中提到，已知有八件犀牛角盃為胡星岳製，全飾仿古紋樣，底皆署四字篆款。Chapman 列出二件胡星岳製角盃現存 Aberdeen Art Gallery，出處同上，頁129，而其他則分別藏於美國明尼阿波利斯美術館，及倫敦維多利亞與艾伯特博物館。鹿特丹 Museum voor Volkenkunde 藏一仿古爵盃，器足之胡氏署款，見同書圖版134。另可比較北京故宮博物院藏胡氏製盃，錄於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集。竹木牙角雕刻》，上海，2001年，圖版134。

犀角雕觥作例，可參見清宮舊藏器，現仍存北京故宮，著錄於《故宮雕刻珍萃》，北京，2004年，圖版216-219；另一件作例藏於都柏林 Chester Beatty Library，收錄於Chapman，〈The Chester Beatty Library Collection of Chinese Carved Rhinoceros Horn Cups〉，《Arts of Asia》，1982年5-6月號，頁83，圖版23；仇炎之及仇大雄收藏中亦有一例，於2011年4月8日香港蘇富比售出，編號2705，該盃則出自另一位名匠之手，署「尤以良作」款。