Lot 78105 A Group of Eight Chinese Silver-Inlaid and Carved Agarwood Cups Accompanied by Fitted Case

A Group of Eight Chinese Silver-Inlaid and Carved Agarwood Cups Accompanied by Fitted Case

19th century

未知

$10,000 - $15,000

2-3/8 x 2-1/8 x 2-1/4 inches (6.0 x 5.4 x 5.7 cm) (each, approximately)

Each example showing scattered areas of repair and stabilization, examined under 395nm UV light, four cups with a few carved elements no longer extant, a fifth with partial loss to a flower at the shoulder, splits and nicks consistent with the nature of the material; the silver inlay remaining in good condition overall, with one small push to a lip rim.

Marks: with silver mark to interior
comprising eight tapered cylindrical agarwood cups, each deeply carved in relief with continuous figural and landscape scenes, the rims and interiors left smooth, the dark aromatic wood with rich natural grain, accompanied by a fitted two-tier wood case
Agarwood (chenxiang 沉香), also known as aloeswood or eaglewood, is among the most prized aromatic woods in Asia. Formed when trees of the genus Aquilaria produce a fragrant resin in response to injury or fungal infection, the resulting dense, resin-impregnated heartwood has been valued for centuries for its rich fragrance. In China, agarwood was highly esteemed by scholars and the imperial court alike, where it was burned as incense, carved into devotional objects and scholar's utensils, and fashioned into luxury works of art. Its rarity, pleasant aroma, and richly figured grain made it a favored material for finely carved cups, brush pots, and other objects intended for the scholar's studio.
以下内容由AI翻译：
【名称】
十九世纪银嵌雕沉香杯八件配木盒
【年代】
十九世纪
【描述】
款识：内有银标记
包括八个锥形圆柱形沉香杯，每个杯子浮雕连续的人物和风景场景，边缘和内部保持光滑，深色芳香木材具有丰富的自然纹理，配有双层木盒
沉香（chenxiang 沉香），又称沉香或鹰木，是亚洲最珍贵的芳香木材之一。当属Aquilaria的树木因受伤或真菌感染而产生芳香树脂时，形成的致密、树脂浸透的心材几个世纪以来因其浓郁的香气而受到重视。在中国，沉香深受学者和皇室的推崇，被用作焚香、雕刻成供奉物品和文房用品，以及制成奢侈品艺术品。其稀有性、宜人的香气和丰富的纹理使其成为精细雕刻的杯子、笔筒和其他文房用品的理想材料。
【品相】
每件杯子都有散在的修复和加固痕迹，在395nm紫外光下检查，四个杯子的部分雕刻元素已不存在，第五个杯子肩部有一朵花部分缺失，裂纹和缺损与材料性质一致；银镶嵌整体状况良好，唇边有一处小凹陷。