Chinese Art

Chinese

A Rare and Well-carved Chinese Ivory 'Bixie' Seal, Dated Xianfeng 1856
ivory

2 5/8 x 2 5/8 x 1 3/8 in, 6.7 x 6.7 x 3.5 cm

CAD

Preview at: Heffel Vancouver

PROVENANCE
The Kay and Francis Reif Collection of Chinese Art. Acquired during the 1950s and 60s under the early guidance of Warren E. Cox, the renowned New York connoisseur and dealer of Asian antiques, and thence by descent.

The square seal surmounted by a dynamic and naturalistic bixie mythical beast, the seal face with three-characters 'Qing De Tang', the sides with a poem and cyclical date to 1856 of the Xianfeng reign. An even patina throughout.

The Reif Collection is particularly well-known for its fine examples of Chinese ivory and amber carvings and snuff bottles. The majority of the ivory and amber carvings were donated to the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria in the late 1990s and early 2000s where they form the foundation of their permanent Asian art collection.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS WORK IS FOR DOMESTIC PURCHASE ONLY IN CANADA; Heffel will not ship this work internationally. Please be advised that this lot contains organic material that is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

All prices are in Canadian Dollars

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