第二类：宫廷铜胎掐丝珐琅器: 十分罕见宣德御用监造款掐丝珐琅盏杯

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.