Lot description
AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE IMPERIAL EMBELLISHED GOLD EWER MARK AND PERIOD OF WANLI THIS IS A PREMIUM LOT.CLIENTS WHO WISH TO BID ON PREMIUM LOTS ARE REQUESTED TO COMPLETE THE PREMIUM LOT PRE-REGISTRATION 3 WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO THE SALE.BIDnow ONLINE BIDDING SERVICE IS NOT AVALIABLE. inspired from a Persian metal form, the flattened pear-shaped body rising from an oval spreading foot to an elegant tall-waisted flaring neck, set to one side with an S-shaped spout and to the other with a tall strap handle with ruyi -head terminal, adorned on either side of the body with a large peach-shaped panel enclosing a gold filigree five-clawed scaly dragon in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl' in the form of a large red tourmaline, reserved on an intricate gold wire floral-diaper ground embellished to the edge of the panel with alternating red tourmalines and blue sapphires, all reserved on a ground finely incised with long leafy floral stems framing the panel and with alternating tourmalines and sapphires set in elaborate raised foliate mounts forming the flowerhead, all below further tourmaline and sapphire embellished ruyi bands and quatrefoil panels at the neck, the handle and spout similarly engraved and embellished, the domed cover incised with four leafy floral sprays alternately set in elaborate raised foliate mounts with tourmalines and sapphires and surmounted by an elaborate baroque ruby finial set in a lotus-lappet mount encircled by tourmalines, the cover attached to the handle with a finely linked chain, the base with a nineteen-character inscription Da Ming Wanli nian Yuyongjian zao jiu chengse jin zhong ershijiu liang yi qian , ('Made in the Wanli period of the great Ming dynasty by the Directorate of Imperial Accouterments (Yuyongjian) of 90% pure gold, weighing 29.1 ounces') 28 cm., 11 in. The gold tested as 18k.
