清乾隆 竹雕香山九老圖香筒 「沙氏」、「神芝」款

of slender cylindrical form, well carved and pierced with a winding landscape of pine and wutong trees, the setting accentuated with large looming boulders and jagged rockwork, depicted with the nine old men of Xiang Shan gathered in three small groups engaging in leisurely pursuits beneath the trees, including practicing calligraphy, playing the zither (qin) and meditating, several attendants preparing tea and holding books nearby, inscribed with an inscription reading sha shi next to a seal mark reading shen zhi, the bamboo with a smooth reddish-brown patina, mounted with a base and removable cap

Sydney L. Moss Ltd.，倫敦

《Emperor, Scholar, Artisan, Monk. The Creative Personality in Chinese Works of Art》，Sydney L. Moss， 倫敦， 1984年，編號45

此香筒，雕工細緻，自然生動。青山綠水間，文期雅會，松林下，三兩相聚，見一抱書童兒，駐足觀棋，聚精會神，流連忘返。

可見一相類例，雕「竹林七賢」，署施天章款，藏北京故宮博物院，錄《故宮博物院藏文物珍品大系·竹木牙角雕刻》，上海，2001年，圖版56。另見一例，關善明收藏，展《虛心傲節· 明清竹刻史話》，香港中文大學文物館，香港，2000年，圖版100。亦見一例，署顧珏款，葉義醫生收藏，錄東方陶瓷學會展覽《文玩萃珍》，馮平山博物館，香港，1986 年，圖版233。再見一十六/十七世紀香筒例，藏台北國立故宮博物院，展《故宮歷代香具圖錄》，台北，1994年，圖版106。