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  • gaoidea
  • Sep 7, 2024
  • 2 min read

Updated: Sep 22, 2024

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开始动笔写个人博物馆收藏已两月。边写边思考,面对多年是藏品颇有感触。既然是以博物馆形式,就要有特点。藏品既要真实,经得起考验,还要突出有历史意义和价值,甚至能够填补空白、难得一见罕见文物。但凡博物馆,都有各自特点,有镇馆之宝。前面写的西周春秋青铜铭文牺擎盘和御用监造款宣德掐丝珐琅盏杯是本馆的镇馆之宝之一,作者写到后期,还会列出镇馆之宝。计划按不同品种先各写一两件,然后逐步加深。


古文物的英文翻译不太容易,也借鉴一些英文翻译和查阅字典,好些是文不达意,并非古代含义。比如“御用监造” 和“内府”,它们就是宫廷或朝廷的机构,等级不同。御用一定是皇上及皇后级别,监在这里是指特定机构,通俗说,御用监是专门为皇上宫廷打造各种用品的专门管理行政机构,“监”不是指具体个人。大英博物馆把“监” 翻译成太监不准确。要翻译准确也很难为翻译人员,必须同时具备中文英文与历史文物知识相结合才能比较准确。自己也力求准确, 错误之处,在所难免,边写边纠正。


It has been about two months since I started the writing for our own museum. I keep on thinking while I am writing and so many reminding from our many years' collections. It has to be its own features as a museum. It is not only the rarity and solid support, but also its historical sense and value that is hardly to find and may fill the absences of the Chinese art of cultures. The collections are different among the museums but always some important treasures of museum are presented by each museum. "The bronze sacrifice animal with a servant standing and holding a plate with inscriptions from West Zhou or Spring and Autumn Period" and The Xuande cloisonne cup with the "Made by Imperial Court" are among the treasures of museum in our collections. Some more of the treasures of museum will be listed later during my serial writings.


最近参观了大英博物馆和法国吉美博物馆。这两个世界收藏中国文物的顶级博物馆之一,以青铜器和瓷器著名,各有千秋。仔细观察每一件藏品,边看边思考。众多珍贵文物多来自个人家族的捐赠藏品。很多国宝级商周青铜器都来自战乱年代,基本上无从查找原始出土地点,只能估计大概区域。自己能收藏到那件西周春秋时期具有铭文的青铜牺立人擎盘一样,不可思议,可遇不可求。都说隔行如隔山,其实共性是相通的,没有绝对的专家。在顶级博物馆里,并非件件是重器,也有普品,当然也是普品中的佼佼者,具有代表性。自己在收藏过程中,也特别注重代表性。

 
 
 

THE THIRD CATLOG: CERAMICS EXTREMELY RARE CELADON CANDLE HOLDER OR INSERTER WITH INSCRIPTION OF IMPERIAL STOREHOUSE FROM TWO JING PERIOD

  • 宋代青白釉观音 景德镇窑



瓷器收藏也是本馆藏品中重要部分。追求真实,重点突出有收藏意义,未必一定要盲目追求官窑。既收藏高古瓷器和民窑,也收藏官窑器。更重要的是靠常年锻炼的眼力和知识甄别罕见真品。先重点 介绍少见高古陶瓷,最后写重要官窑器。正计划把几件重要官窑器送世界权威机构英国牛津热释光检测中心进行检测。向大英博物馆学习,许多重要的中国瓷器都送牛津实验室作热释光检测。


Ceramics is the one of my important collections in which I focused more on historical sense, reality and rarity including old celadons and imperial porcelains. More importantly, I tried to identify the rare important items from fakes based on my years' experiences and eyesight. First of all, I will focus on the old rare celadons and following by imperial porcelains. I am planning to send several extremely rare pieces to do the thermoluminescence testing (TL test) by Oxford Authentication Ltd., the same as The British Museum did (they did all TL tests for their Chines ceramics).



No.1 第一件


十分罕见两晋时期青瓷猪型内府款烛台或插器

Extremely Rare Celadon Pig Candle Holder or Inserter With the Mark of “Imperial Storehouse" from Two Jin Dynasties



图一 青瓷猪型烛台(插器) 16 x 10 x 7 cm


图二 内府款,篆体。符合两晋时期铭文,接近汉代


初看,这是一件不起眼的猪型青瓷。仔细研究,才发现这是一件非常罕见的两晋时期的猪型烛台(或插器),也是目前唯一的一件猪型烛台。更为罕见的是其刻有”内府“铭文,它是陶瓷史上有”内府“款年代最早的一件实物。一般认为有内府款瓷器最早到宋代,但未见实物,目前见到内府款瓷器实物最早到元代,大多被各大博物馆收藏。这件青瓷猪型烛台实物证明”内府“款早已经出现在两晋时期。


青瓷动物造型烛台流行于魏晋时代,主要以羊型、狮型及熊型多见,罕见猴型。基本上都收藏在博物馆。猪型是目前唯一一件,属于稀有。其实中国先民是非常崇拜猪,五千年前的玉猪龙是龙的雏形,属于中华瑰宝,商周青铜器也有猪尊造型。


内府一词泛指朝廷或亲王一级内务机构,而非民间可及,西周已有内府之称。目前能见到的最早实物是西汉中山靖王墓出土青铜器上刻有”中山内府“。

该猪型青瓷烛台实属罕见,可以看作一件孤品,其有四个罕见原因。第一,唯一一件两晋时期猪型青瓷烛台;第二, 唯一一件有铭文内府款的青瓷烛台;第三,唯一一件内府款陶瓷年代最早的实物;第四,唯一一件以篆体刻的内府二字,符合当时的文字形式。而目前看到的元明时期的内府款均是宋体。以上四个因素没有第二件。


It looks like a common celadon pig at the first glance at it. However, it caught my big attention by its appearance and inscriptions. I realized this is an extremely rare celadon pig candle holder from Two Jin Dynasty, especially the mark of "Imperial Storehouse" that is the only one shown on celadon candle holder and the oldest mark of "Imperial Storehouse" on ceramics after seriously studies. Generally, people believe the earliest mark of "Imperial Storehouse" on ceramics was from Song Dynasty but no real item found. We can see the earliest items were from Yuan and Ming Dynasties and most of them are in big museums. This piece I collected demonstrates the earliest mark of "Imperial Storehouse" on ceramics is from Two Jin Dynasties.


The celadon animal candle holders were popular during Two Jin period and the most of them were ships, lions and some bears, and extremely rare monkey (only one found). Most of them are in museums. The celadon pig candle holder (or inserter) I collected is the only piece found so far and extremely rare. Actually, pig as a dragon god was respected by antient Chinese people 5000 years ago. The "Jade pig dragon“ as the Chines treasure was the sample of beginner of dragons.


Generally, the mark of "Imperial Storehouse" stands for the system controlled by imperial officers, instead of common people. The literature from Zhou Dynasty have mentioned the "Imperial storehouse" and the oldest sample shown the "Imperial storehouse" were on the bronze items unearthed from the tomb of Zhongshan Prince Jingwang of West Han Dynasty.


This piece is extremely rare and no more second one found because of four facts: 1). only one of the pig celadon candle holder (or inserter) from Two Jin Dynasties; 2). only one with the mark of "Imperial Storehouse" on celadon candle holders (or inserter); 3). only one shown the earliest mark of "Imperial Storehouse" in Chinese ceramics history; 4). only one with the "seal script" mark that is very important to match the character style during Two Jin Dynasties (all marks of "Imperial Storehouse" we have seen in the museums are Song style because they were from Yuan or Ming dynasties). No second one could match above facts.






图三




图四 底部



图五 各博物馆藏品



图六 故宫博物院展品


图七 罕见猴型青瓷插器, 头顶有一小插口


图八 对比西汉中山靖王墓出土铜器铭文, 二者都是篆体款, 符合汉晋时期铭文



图九


图十



图十一

图十二


图九至图十二是被各大博物馆收藏的 “内府”款瓷器,都是元代或明代的,都是宋体款。全世界内府款瓷器大概10余件左右,台北故宫有一件,山东博物馆有一件, 还有两件拍卖品,私人收藏的很少。作者收藏的这件青瓷猪型内府款烛台(或插器) 是有确切内府款年代最早的陶瓷器,非常罕有,重在历史意义。


Fig. 9 to Fig. 12 show most important porcelains with the marks of "Imperial Storehouse" collected by famous museums in which they are all from Yuan or Ming Dynasties. All marks are Song style characters. Probably there are about a little bit over ten pieces in the world, including one in Taibei Palace Museum, one in Shandong Museum and other two pieces from auctions. Very few are collected by private collectors. The one I collected is the earliest mark of "Imperial Storehouse" on Chinese ceramics, extremely rare and a historical sample.



猪在中国先民5000多年前的红山文化时期被供奉为龙,出土不少玉猪龙,已经是最早龙的雏形。商周时期也继续右青铜猪尊。到了两晋时期选用青瓷猪型插器作为”内府“用器就不足为奇了。










 
 
 

SECOND CATLOG: IMPERIAL CLOISONNES : EXTREMELY RARE XUANDE IMPERIAL CLOISONNE CUP WITH THE MARK OF "MADE BY IMPERIAL COURT"





宫廷铜胎掐丝珐琅器(主要指明代以前的)按比例是流失海外最多的一类文物之一,这是历史原因所致,加之历来不被重视。除故宫外,国内博物馆明代以前的掐丝珐琅重器非常之少。故宫藏有明代以前的 掐丝珐琅器不足百件,其余绝大多数是清代藏品。由于流失严重,很多明代重器已经不在故宫,这是客观现实,以至于对明代以前宫廷掐丝珐琅器的年款、断代等具有相当局限性和片面性。比如明代不仅仅有宣德、景泰、嘉靖、万历本款,实际上还有其他年款,只不过它已经不在故宫而已,作者以后会用实物来证明。再比如,对景泰本朝器认识相当模糊不定,因为国内博物馆缺乏景泰年款真品,无法认知也可理解。掐丝珐琅器俗称为景泰蓝,据说景泰一朝时,掐丝珐琅器有一定规模的发展,明清两代尤其是清代喜欢加景泰年制寄托款,以致一些景泰本朝的真品融入其中,实际不难区分。流落在海外景泰年款真品时而会出现,作者以后也会用实物真品来专门探讨。最后想谈谈明代御用监造款掐丝珐琅器的重要地位。目前最重要的一件宣德掐丝珐琅龙纹大罐在大英博物馆,因为有御用监造和大明宣德年制款,显得极为珍贵,一直被认为是唯一一件带有御用监造款的掐丝珐琅器。这些肯定都是宫里流出的,两岸故宫已经没有。御用监造款极为罕见用在掐丝珐琅器上,而且仅仅在宣德一朝。可能会非常惊讶,如果作者显示一件宣德本朝掐丝珐琅盏杯真品,也同样有御用监造和大明宣德年制款,实属罕见,而且与故宫的原配宣德掐丝珐琅盏托相互佐证。


掐丝珐琅器是中国文物中仿品最少的一类,最大原因是没有暴利驱使,舶来工艺,制作成本高,价格低,过去几乎不被国内收藏。掐丝珐琅器的珐琅料及时代工艺特征非常明显,尽管常常有后朝采用前朝寄托款,它反映的是用前朝的款、造型及纹饰而用当代的工艺和材料,这一特点点非常突出。基本上掐丝珐琅器是作为出口海外的中国工艺品,严格上说,没有真正意义上的完全仿制。只是到了上世纪九十年代后期,掐丝珐琅器开始受到认识和重视,价格飙升,随之而来便是仿制作坊的出现。这才是真正为暴利驱使而开始的仿制。国内民间基本上见不到明代以前的真品,为数不多的基本上收藏在故宫。民间作坊基本上没有上手近观真品的机会,完全仿制谈何容易。多数是仿清乾隆,偶有仿明代,相差甚远,因为没有当年的珐琅料及工艺。


作者至上世纪八十年代末收藏第一件掐丝珐琅器开始,一直注重系列收藏,尤其是明代以前的真品。也许是机遇,可以说正处在一个时间差,因为当时国内的认知相当晚而且相当模糊,而海外由于文化差异,在判断上又要依赖国内权威机构不全面的范本,流出的重要掐丝珐琅器几乎都在海外,因此作者能有机会收藏到一些极为罕见宫廷掐丝珐琅器真品。


The palace cloisonnes , especially from Ming dynasty, are the one of the Chinese culture relics that was among the most lost over sea by its proportion because of the historical reasons and ignorance for a long time. It is very hardly to see Ming palace cloisonnes in the museums in China except for the Palace Museum in Beijing. Probably less than one hundred pieces of Ming or earlier palace cloisonnes are still in the Palace Museum and the majority cloisonnes are from Qing dynasty. This is true serious situation that many important Ming pieces lost to oversea and no more the same important pieces couldn't be seen in the Palace Museum. It is incomplete or lack of whole pictures to make conclusions about the history of the Ming palace cloisonnes if just based on what the Palace Museum have left. For example, people said that there are only four reign's marks from Ming dynasty: Xuande, Jingtai, Jiajing and Wanli. Actually, there are more than four reign's marks from Ming dynasty even not seen in the Palace Museum and I will demonstrate with the real samples late. Furthermore, it is understandable why still unclear or confused to identify the real pieces from Jingtai Reign because of lack of real pieces in museums, including the Palace Museum. The so-called the name of "Jingtai Lan" in Chinese, instead of cloisonne, means the blue of Jingtai Reign that were well developed during Jingtai reign. It is popular to use the mark of Jingtai reign in late Ming and Qing dynasty. However, some of the real pieces are mixed among these late pieces. Well, it is not difficult to identify the real ones from them in which most of them are collected by foreigners. The real pieces will come out once a while and I will discuss this subject with the real pieces late. Furthermore, let us talk about how important the mark of imperial court on the cloisonnes. It is extremely rare to see this mark and the most famous piece is in The British Museum as a very important Chinese art because of the marks of imperial court and great Ming Xuande reign. No questions these important pieces came out of Palace. Most people thought that is the only one with the mark of imperial court in the world. Well, it could be very surprised if I show another real piece with the marks of imperial court and great Ming Xuande reign. It is extremely rare and more important it matches with the important piece of Xuande plate in Palace Museum and they used to be a set, but separated.


There are much fewer fake pieces of cloisonnes among the Chinese antiques and arts because of its foreign art, high manufacture cost but low sale prices, nobody collect them in China, absolutely "arduous and thankless task". It is very obvious to see the typical signs of time that show the different enamel materials and craft technics from different times. The late makers could copy the styles with similar motifs and add the marks of the previous reigns but still using the enamel materials and craft technics that were exactly from their living time. General speaking, Cloisonnes were exported oversea as Chinese handcraft gifts and the serious fake copies never happened until late 1990s when people realized its value and the prices of palace cloisonnes went up so high. The private copiers increased and they focused more on Qianlong pieces and fewer Ming pieces. It is not easy for copier to duplicate palace cloisonnes, especially the Ming pieces, because copiers have no real pieces in hand and have no chance to touch the real piece closely in museum, and more important the enamel materials and craft technics are totally different and no way to copy them fully.


I have been focusing on series of collections, especially on real Ming pieces, since I collected the first piece of cloisonne in late 1980s. It is lucky of timing when most important Ming cloisonnes were oversea but hard for foreigners to understand different cultures and at the same time no whole pictures truly recognized or cleared about the Ming cloisonnes in China. It is hard for foreigners to identify which one is the real Ming piece or late piece. It is the chance for me to find out important Ming palace cloisonnes.




NO. 1

宣德御用监造掐铜胎丝珐琅盏杯


A CLOISONNE CUP MADE BY IMPERIAL COURT OF XUANDE REIGN


题目一目了然。宣德御用监造,非同小可。御用监是明代专为帝王宫廷制作宫廷用品专设机构。明代流传下来的宫廷重器不少,但加有御用监造者凤毛麟角,可以说件件都是重器。就目前查询到的资料显示,明代注有御用监造宫廷器物真品只有四件左右,都在博物馆,其中一件玉雕在故宫,一件漆器在东京博物馆,另一件就是收藏在大英博物馆的大名鼎鼎的宣德掐丝珐琅龙纹大罐。该罐上有御用监造和大明宣德年制款,尤其显赫,一直被认为唯一一件具有御用监造款的宫廷掐丝珐琅器。无独有偶,作者也收藏一件宣德宫廷掐丝珐琅盏杯真品,上面有非常显赫的御用监造和大明宣德年制款,而且佐证其原配掐丝珐琅盏托在故宫,弥足珍贵。下面以图片详细解读。



The tittle is very clear at one glance. The mark of "Made by Imperial Court Supervision“ is extremely rare and important in Ming dynasty. The imperial court supervision was used to be a system that specially made subjects for imperial palace. It is extremely rare to add the "Made by Imperial Court Supervision" even many important palace pieces were made in Ming dynasty. Any real pieces with the "Made by imperial court Supervision" are treated as significant Chinese treasures. There are about only four pieces with the "Made by imperial court Supervision" in the world based on the public literatures so far (maybe little changed if more literature shown up): one jade of Xuande reign in Palace Museum; one lacquerware in Tokyo Museum; the very famous one of big jug of Xuande cloisonne with dragon motif in The British Museum. It is so prominent to show the marks of "Made by imperial court Supervision" and Great Ming Xuande on this big jug and to be considered as the only one piece in Ming cloisonnes. Coincidentally, I also collected real one of the Xuande cloisonne cup that shows the same marks of "Made by imperial court Supervision" and "Great Ming Xuande Reign", and more important it highly matches with the Xuande cloisonne cup stand in Palace Museum. It is absolutely extremely rare and important. The followings I will show detailed pictures and discussions.





图 二。 盏杯高7.5公分,直径9.8公分,圈足4公分。托盘直径19.3 公分。

Fig 2. Cup 7.5cm high, 9.8cm in diameter, 4cm foot in diameter. Plate 19.3 in diameter.


非常显赫的”御用监造“款和”大明宣德年制“款在盏杯上。托盘底部有非常标准典型的双线阴刻大明宣德年制款。这对盏杯和盏托是宣德御用监制掐丝珐琅标准断代器,做工精良,厚重,镀金厚重、珐琅料纯正,具有半晶透感(尤其近观)。盏杯和盏托珐均采用相同的珐琅料:天蓝、宝石蓝、白、红、黄、墨绿六色。这六色是明早期宫廷珐琅器的典型基本色调。同时,在缠枝叶主叶上采用墨绿,在叶尖上加黄和加红, 墨绿与黄的交界过度区呈现立体感很强的翠绿,是宣德到景泰时期常用手法。


确实很惊讶,盏杯和盏托的珐琅料及颜色采用及工艺非常一致。二者都是宣德本朝真品,盏托在美国拍得,盏杯从欧洲拍得。二者并不是原配。盏杯的底足外径(4公分)大于盏托突起的中央圈(3.6公分),盏杯是放不进的。这件盏杯的原配盏托在故宫博物院,而故宫的几件宣德掐丝珐琅盏托精品都缺失盏杯。想不到盏杯的款更重要显赫, 就像作者的这一件。


Extremely rare and significant mark of "Made by Imperial Court Supervision" on the cup and the mark of "Great Ming Xuande Reign" as well on it. Also the typically carved double lines mark of Great Ming Xuande Reign on bottom of the cup stand. Both cup and cup stand are typical examples of Xuande cloisonnes made by imperial court. Both show very fine art works, heavy body, heavy gilt, high quality of enamel materials, semi-crystal sense (especially closer looking). The same identical enamel materials and colors were used on both cup and cup stand, including the six colors of sky blue, diamond blue, white, red, yellow and dark green. Those six enamel colors were basically used for early Ming dynasty. It is very typical to see that the dark green enamel was used on the leaves plus yellow and red enamels on the tip area and crystal green shown in the mixed area with strong three dimensional sense.

It is so surprise that the type of enamel materials and the colors are so coincidence on both cup and cup stand. Both pieces belonged to Xuande Palace but they are not original set. I got them from different auctions, one in U.S. and another one in Europe. The foot diameter (4cm) on cup is larger than center opening (3.6cm) on the cup stand and won't fit each other. The original cup stand for this cup is still in Palace Museum. There are two Xuande cloisonne cup stands published in Palace Museum but all cups were missed. However, the marks on cups might be more prominent as the one I collected.





图三 Fig. 3



图四 Fig. 4




图五 Fig. 5


图三、四、五 不同角度显示"御用监造”款及缠枝花卉纹。款刚劲工整,宋体,一丝不苟,鎏金基本保持完好,尽管款周围有些釉料损伤剥脱。此款是在杯体上錾刻出来的 (而不是掐丝形成),然后完成整个掐丝、填珐琅料、烧制、打磨,最后完成鎏金。而且都要上蜡填补沙眼。可以想象,约600年前这套盏杯精细无比,金光闪闪“御用监造”更为显赫在宣德宫廷。除了大英博物馆那件宣德掐丝珐琅龙纹大罐有显赫的“御用监造”款外,作者的这件是第二件,而且都仅仅出现在宣德朝,极为珍稀,弥足珍贵。

The mark of "Made by Imperial Court Supervision" with motif of flowers are showing in different views in Fig. 3, 4 and 5. The mark was boldly and neatly done using Song stlye calligraphy with meticulous attitude. The gilt is still in good condition even with some mild damage of enamel materials around. Definitely, the mark was made by carving skill on the body of the cup (not by wire inlay). After the detailed mark carving, craft man finished the motifs of wire inlays; filled the enamel materials and fired repeatedly; polished the surfaces to be smooth; finally, finished the gilt. Actually one more step was used to fill all the tiny broken bubbles on the enamels surfaces with wax to cover up the defect. It is just to be gorgeous to image such a golden and detailed cloisenne cup with the mark of "Made by Imperial Court Supervision" in Xuande palace around 600 hundreds years ago. It is the second one founded with the mark of "Made by Imperial Court Supervision" except for the big cloisonne jar with the same mark of "Made by Imperial Court Supervision" in The British Museum. Both were only from Xuande Reign and extremely rare and precious.





图六 大英博物馆藏 宣德掐丝珐琅龙纹大罐

Fig. 6, Xuande cloisonne big jar with dragon motif in The British Museum


图七 宣德龙纹大罐上的御用监造款和大明宣德年制款

Fig.7. the marks of "Made by Imperial Court Supervision" and the "Great Ming Xuande Reign" on the big cloisonne jar in The British Museum.


图八 宝石蓝,半晶透,立体感。

Fig. 8. diamond blue, semi crystal and three dimensional sense



图九 Fig. 9.





图十 鎏金厚重,杯厚重,应该是铸胎工艺,鎏金磨损边缘及内部看不到一丝衔接痕迹。

Fig. 10. heavy gilt, heavy body, cast technic, no any connection lines shown on the edge where the gilt go



盏杯与故宫的原配盏托


既然这件盏杯的原配盏托在故宫博物院,就得有证据。除了作者收藏的这一件宣德掐丝珐琅盏托,故宫的几件宣德掐丝珐琅盏托均缺失盏杯。当这件有“御用监造”款的盏杯出现在欧洲一个小拍卖会时,作者立刻判断其真实性而且及其罕见。拍得后当把这件盏杯与以前收藏的宣德缺失珐琅盏托放在一起,惊人发现二者的珐琅料、颜色相同性以及颜色的搭配工艺高度统一,尽管二者不是原配,看得出宣德时期御用监制作掐丝珐琅器采用相同的珐琅料及相同的工艺,换句话说,历史的痕迹是相同的, 宣德一朝仅仅十年,十年之间相差不会太大。之后,作者仔细观察故宫的这两件宣德盏托,惊人的发现其中一件的缠枝花卉纹与作者的盏杯花卉纹高度一致,更惊人的是花卉纹上的每一叶瓣采用的颜色也高度一致,这绝对不是巧合。正因为二者是原配一套,杯和盘的设计纹饰是统一的,珐琅料和颜色也一定统一。还有一点非常重要,盏杯圈足的直径要稍微小于托盘中央开口的直径才能互相匹配。因为每一套的尺寸是不一样的,比如作者收藏的盏杯圈足(4cm) 就大于作者的这件盏托中央开口(3.6cm),无法放入。


故宫这件盏托的中央开口直径约5cm (按比例计算) 稍大于作者的盏杯圈足直径 4cm. 二者匹配。加之花卉纹和颜色料采用高度匹配,作者判断二者曾经是一对宣德宫廷重器。下面将把二者的花卉纹作详细对比。


COMPARING THE CUP WITH THE CUP STAND IN PALACE MUSEUM


It has to be enough evidences to state the original half set of the cup is in Palace Museum. The other two pieces of Xuande cloisonne cup stands in Palace Museum including the piece I collected are all lack of their original cups. I immediately recognized its reality and rarity when this cloisonne cup with the mark of "Made by Imperial Court Supervision" showed up in a small auction in Netherland. It is so surprised by such so coincidences in the enamel materials, colors and craft technics when I put them together, even both are not original set. In other words, the historical traces must be very close because the Xuande Reign was only ten years. Furthermore, I had a tremendous discovery that one of the Xuande cloisonne cup stand perfectly matches with the cup in the motif of flowers and colors on each leaves and flowers after I did so detailed researches. This is not coincidentally happened because of the original set and the same motif designs with matched enamel materials and colors. Another importance is that each original set had to match their own sizes. For example, the foot of cup (4cm) I collected is larger than the center opening (3.6cm) of the plate I collected, won't fit each other.


The center opening of the plate in Palace Museum is about 5 cm (calculated by proportion) which perfectly matches the foot diameter of 4cm of the cup I collected. Plus the perfectly matched the flower motifs and colors mentioned above, we can state both cup and cup stand were original set that used to be treated as Xuande treasure in Xuande Palace. Following will show the details of comparing studies.




图十一 宣德掐丝珐琅盏托, 直径19.3cm, 故宫藏品 。中央有阳文篆书“景杯绍篱”四字。底部阴刻楷书“大明宣德年制”双行款(无显示)。

Fig. 11 Xuande cloisonne cup stand, 19.3cm in diameter, Palace Museum, four Chinese characters carved in the center, carved mark of "Great Ming Xuande Reign".


图十二 图十一的三维视图 中央有突起座圈,约5cm 直径(按比例计算)。这个尺寸非常重要,因为作者的盏杯圈足直径是4 cm, 正好与之相配。而盏杯与作者收藏的宣德盏托(3.6cm) 不相配.

Fig. 12. 3D view from fig. 11, projected center opening about 5cm in diameter(calculated by proportion). This size is very important that matches the foot size (4 cm) of the cup I collected, but the cup doesn't match the size (3.6 cm) of the Xuande cup stand I collected.




图十三 尽管没有故宫藏品的近距清晰图,仍然可以清楚看出花卉纹饰的掐丝图案、色釉搭配、乃至叶瓣的数量及分布高度一致。下面几张对比图也相同。

Fig. 13. It is still clear enough to see exactly the same flowers with the same pattern of wire inlays, colors used, numbers of leaves even no clear and close view of the picture from Palace Museum.




图十四 Fig.14




图十五 Fig.15.




图十六 Fig. 16.





图十七 Fig. 17.


从图十三至十七的对比研究,二者的 花卉纹饰、掐丝、色料的搭配高度一致,绝非偶然。加之盏杯与盏托的尺寸也相配,足以证明二者在600年前曾经是一对显赫的宣德宫廷掐丝珐琅重器,尤其是其“御用监造”款,证明大英博物馆那件有“御用监造”款的大罐并非唯一一件。同时也证明“御用监造”款掐丝珐琅重器仅出现在宣德一朝,弥足珍贵。


关于明代珐琅釉及沙眼等特征,不在此过多讨论,以上就是一眼开门明早期掐丝珐琅器。后面作者还会写更多的明代宫廷掐丝珐琅重器,以及部分重要的清代掐丝珐琅重器。个别罕见孤品会让人们重新认识明代其他朝代款式的真实存在,并非故宫藏品中仅有的四个朝代。


The flower motifs, wire inlays and colors arrangement totally match on both pieces from Fig. 13 to 17, not just coincidences. Plus the matched sizes between two pieces, it is enough to demonstrate both pieces as an original set are prominent cloisonnes in Xuande palace 600 hundreds years ago. More important, the mark of "Made by Imperial Court" on this cup demonstrates that the one in The British Museum is not the only one with the same mark. However, the mark of "Made by Imperial Court" was only from Xuande Reign and absolutely extremely rare and precious.


I am not going to discuss too much here about enamel materials and broken bubbles on the enamel surfaces from Ming dynasty.

However the photos shown above are typical early Ming cloisonnes. I am going to discuss more important Ming cloisonnes late, and important Qing cloisonnes as well. The only one piece survived so far in the world could provide extra information that the Ming cloisonnes were not only limited in four reigns as shown in the Palace Museum.









图十八 组合。可以想象,如果把这对原配放在一起拍照,会更加完美,匹配的花卉纹饰,相同的珐琅料及工艺。盏杯盏托都有大明宣德年制款,盏杯上的“御用监造”款尤其突出和珍贵。

Fig.18. We can imagine how ideal if taking photo together, but still shown perfect matches in flower motifs, craft technics, enamel materials and colors. The mark of "Great Ming Xuande Reign" on both items. The mark of "Made by Imperial Court" is so prominent and precious.





















 
 
 
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