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Auction: CSS92C - THE PRESTIGIOUS ACADEMIC REFERENCE COLLECTION OF THE LATE DR. WERNER BURGER - Part 3: Chinese Charms
Lot: 2264

China: Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 CE), silver cloisonné enamelled plaque-shaped charm with a hanging loop on top, obverse inscribed 'Tian' in clerical script in red on white in the middle surrounded by five dragons in yellow set against lazurite blue, reverse inscribed 'En' in clerical script in black on white surrounded by foliage also set against lazurite blue, both front and back supported by lotus flower in ruby red, turquoise green as well as lazurite blue and canopied by lotus leaf in turquoise green and yellow, 60.9*2.0mm, 27.5g. Extremely fine, extremely rare, most probably important. Note: This is a beautiful specimen of cloisonné enamelled plaque charm in exceptionally nice condition. The inscriptions on front and back combine into 'Tian en', meaning 'heavenly favour', an expression that was used during the Qing dynasty in reference to 'imperial favour'. In the 56th Year of Kangxi (1662 CE), the governor of Hebei Zhao Hongxie, when awarded by Emperor Kangxi, submitted a memorial to the throne, "Who am I that can receive so much favour, much more than I have received from heaven and earth, father and mother. I am deeply grateful but do not know how to pay back. All I can promise is to be doubly modest, vigilant, prudent, devoted and loyal for the rest of my whole life to honourably pay back perhaps only one ten thousandth of your heavenly favour." In the 2nd Year of Yongzheng (1722 CE), the governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi Nian Gengyao crushed a revolt in Qinghai and was awarded by Emperor Yongzheng. He submitted a memorial to the throne and requested more rewards, "I humbly see that the enamel quill tube is exquisitely made with beautiful tender colours. I am submitting this memorial to respectfully thank you for your heavenly favour. I would furthermore beg for your Majesty's pity to award me with one or two newly made enamel objects to quench my covetous thoughts…" It is interesting to note that "heavenly favour" was used in both instances when addressing the emperor in relation to enamel objects, suggesting the probable importance of the present plaque.


銀質掐絲琺瑯天恩五龍掛牌花錢，清朝（公元1644–1911），牌面寶藍地，中央銘隸書白底紅字“天”，周圍五黃龍繚繞；牌背寶藍地，中央白底黑字“恩”，周圍飾花草，牌座為寶石紅蓮花及松石綠荷葉，牌額為松石綠蓮葉，60.9*2.0mm，27.5g。品相極美，罕見。注：此牌製作精細，色彩鮮豔，狀態極佳。面背二字合讀“天恩”，即上天之恩，在清代宮廷特指皇恩。例如，康熙五十六年，總督管理直隸巡撫事務赵弘爕受康熙帝封賞御制琺瑯蓋碗，上書奏謝：“臣何人，斯蒙此隆恩逾于天地父母，感激難名，莫知所報。臣惟有持盈戒滿，夙夜戰兢，慎終如初，畢生惕勵，矢犬馬血誠於生生世世，以仰報天恩於萬一耳。”雍正二年，川陕總督年羹尧平定青海之亂，得雍正帝封賞。年羹尧上書奏謝：“臣伏睹琺瑯翎管製作精致，顏色嬌麗，不勝愛羨，謹繕折恭謝天恩。更懇聖慈，如有新製琺瑯物件，賞賜一二以滿足臣之貪念，臣無任悚惶之至。”如是可見，“天恩”一詞指“皇恩”，見於清代朝廷奏折，且與琺瑯製品有關，極有可能印證此牌之不凡與顯赫背景。

Estimate

Starting price
HK$7000