清雍正 碧玉雙螭穿耳盃 《雍正年製》款

the translucent stone of a deep fern-green colour accentuated with dark speckles, superbly worked with the uttermost precision and polished with great delicacy in the form of a steep-sided bowl supported on a short straight foot, the sides flanked by a pair of angular scroll handles through which and around which a pair of long-horned chilong are skilfully depicted clambering with their claws resting on the mouthrim of the vessel, their bodies boldly worked extending across the exterior through the handles, the tails intricately defined in lower relief around the body, both beasts detailed with archaistic features and powerful claws, the base intricately incised with a four-character seal mark

英國舊藏

Apart from minute chips to the foot rim and the extremities, the cup is in good condition.
"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."

鐫刻雍正年款之玉器皿，珍罕至極。博物館藏例似僅見於北京故宮博物院之數例。拍場或私人收藏内均未曾有見。

北京故宮博物院曾刊録五件帶雍正年款之玉雕器皿：青玉雙耳杯、青玉撇口盌、淺青玉杯、黑白玉盌及淺青玉洗各一，可參見《故宮博物院藏品大系：玉器編10》，北京，2011年，圖版146、153、154、187，及一組墨玉板指，見《故宮博物院藏品大系：玉器編9》，北京，2011年，圖版224。兩玉盌之刻款與現器之銘款均作二行四字篆書，細緻矯健，形神一致，出自同一藝匠之手，不足為奇。

試比較另一年代較後之碧玉盃，同飾鏤雕螭龍雙耳，底刻「乾隆御用」款及附原座，載於《中國玉器全集》，卷6：清，石家莊，1993年，圖版33。玉盃之造型設計，雖與雍正器例相近，同以仿古螭龍攀附盃沿，惟雍正器之結構布局更形緊湊且富張力，反映出藝匠對各項細節的精準和美感之高度要求。壁面琢磨細膩，瑩潤生輝，令器形輪廓更為突出。耳柄造形創新，螭龍巻曲穿過直線的中心方框，一動一靜、一曲一直，加以螭尾纖幼柔美，達致強烈之視覺對比，盡見獨運匠心。

乾隆螭龍耳盃作例，亦可比較一刻四字乾隆銘款之白玉盃，曾刊楊伯達，《清玉掇英》，芝加哥，1995年，頁176-7，後售香港蘇富比2014年10月8日，編號3674。一斷為元至明代之龍耳玉盃雛例，現藏巴黎吉美博物館，曾展東方陶瓷學會，《Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages》，維多利亞與艾爾伯特博物館，倫敦，1975年，編號326。展刊指當時青白瓷例和玉器例應曾同時産製，並一直至明末為止（頁100）。此類元代瓷器盃例，可參見一屬 Barlow 收藏及一藏舊金山亞洲藝術博物館之例，二者曾刊 Stacey Pierson 編，《Qingbai Ware: Chinese Porcelain of the Song and Yuan Dynasties》，倫敦，2002年，圖41及42。