明萬曆 銅錯金銀饕餮紋簋式爐 《萬曆癸未菊月雲間胡文明製》《子子孫孫永寶》款

of archaistic gui form, the gently rounded body supported on a deep, splayed foot, integrally cast with two handles in the form of stylised taotie depicted consuming their own bodies, the two main sides each with an identical design cast in varying levels relief of a dissolved taotie face, spread out on either side of a raised flange decorated with a vertical line of continuous leiwen scroll, above an outer-footrim band of two confronting dragons depicted enclosing the character wang (‘king’), the neck decorated with a central taotie flanked by alternating whorl symbols and stylised flower heads, all set on a leiwen ground,  the outer neck and footrim with an additional band of continuous leiwen, each of a different configuration, the handles with the facial features in relief and the bodies decorated with archaistic motifs, the detail all inlaid in gold and silver, the interior incised with a zhuanshu inscription Zizi sunsun yongbao (‘To be treasured eternally by innumerable descendants’), the foot incised with a zhuanshu inscription Wanli guiwei juyue Yunjian Hu Wenming zhi (‘Made by Hu Wenming of Yunjian in the chrysanthemum [ninth] month of the guiwei year’, corresponding to 1583)

美國康乃狄克州 Betty James Westbrook 收藏
紐約蘇富比1982年2月25日，編號 295a

Gerard Tsang 及Hugh Moss，，《Handbook, International Asian Antiques Fair》，香港，1984年，頁34，圖1
Gerard Tsang 及 Hugh Moss，《文玩萃珍》，香港大學馮平山博物館，香港，1986年，編號73

Aschwin Lippe，〈Two Archaistic Bronzes of the Ming Dynasty〉，《美國中國藝術協會檔案》，XI，1957年，頁78
Sheila Riddell，《Dated Chinese Antiquities 600-1650》，倫敦，1979年，頁140，圖版128
Ulrich Hausmann，，Paul Moss 編，《Documentary Chinese Works of Art in Scholars’ Taste》， 倫敦，1983年，頁235

There are minor dents and minute chips to the foot and upper rim. Other minor scratching to the body, general surface wear and oxidisation. The patina is slightly darker than in the catalogue photo; the gold is more brilliant in reality.
"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."

此爐造型古樸穩健，鑲嵌精細，系仿古青銅簋而成，為胡文明精品中之上乘之作。胡爐中帶干支年款者寥寥可數，此爐上銘「萬曆癸未菊月雲間胡文明製」款，即1583年農曆九月，如此年款對他整體作品的斷代上意義重大。毫無疑問此爐為胡爐中的珍罕品種，如此用料講究、華貴精緻的金銀鑲嵌工藝，應為胡文明親手之作。

北京故宮博物院藏一件銅錯金簋式爐， 見《Power and Glory: Court Arts of China's Ming Dynasty》，舊金山亞洲美術館，2008年，編號111。一件質量相同但沒落年款的鼎式爐為 Harry Garner 爵士舊藏，現藏倫敦維多利亞與艾伯特博物館，見柯玫瑰《Later Chinese Bronzes》，1990年，圖版41。另一件瓿式爐原為Peter Plesch伉儷舊藏，2012年4月4日於香港蘇富比水松石山房專拍中拍賣，編號118。