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China, Beijing, 1735-1796. Finely cast as an elephant, the figure is decorated below the watch holder with a lappet band inlaid with rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. The body is detailed with fine spirals and draped with a sash adorned with bats and Buddhist emblems amid scrolling clouds, and further enhanced by inlaid bands that converge at the head beneath two ruby inlays. The watch holder is fitted with a reticulated cover modeled as a movable dragon surrounded by lingzhi-form clouds.
The underbelly of the elephant is neatly incised with a six-character reign mark da Qing Qianlong nianzhi followed by Yuanmingyuan disanfen (‘third section of the Old Summer Palace’).
Provenance: London trade. By repute acquired from a private estate in the United Kingdom.
Condition: Very good condition with expected ancient wear, little rubbing to the gilt, the hinged cover with a light dent, the joints of the watch holder lost, some inlays lost and others replaced. Overall with a naturally grown patina of exceptional beauty, displaying a rich lustrous sheen and a remarkably unctuous surface.
Weight: 251.3 g
Dimensions: Length 7.4 cm
The Qianlong Emperor was an avid collector of all types of timepieces and automatons and his enthusiasm for both European and Chinese made clocks and watches saw no limit. He had thousands of European and Chinese clocks in his collection that were aimed at mesmerizing the beholder and prized for their novelty and design. The large variety of media employed for the manufacturing of clocks is well illustrated in the Clocks and Watches section of The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Scientific and Technical Instruments of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1998, pp. 188-260.
Works of this type, inspired by Western artefacts but distinctly Chinese in their subject matter, are characteristic of the palace manufactories of the Qianlong period. It is reminiscent of the impressive clocks made in Europe for the Imperial court and those of similar style produced in the Imperial workshops in Guangzhou as tribute for the Qing court.
It is possible that the use of elephants originated in clocks made by the renowned London clock makers William Carpenter and James Cox who used gilt-bronze elephants as supports and whose clocks were amongst those included in the Imperial collection during the Qianlong period (see Liao Pin, Clocks and Watches of the Qing Dynasty - From the Collection in the Forbidden City, Beijing, 2002, p. 110-1, pl. 71; and Schatten uit de Verboden Stad - Treasures from the Forbidden City, Museum Speelklok, Utrecht, 2010, p. 91, fig. 2.1).
The elephant in China is not just a symbol of peace, it is also one of the auspicious symbols of Buddhism – an attribute of royalty, associated with Puxian (Samantabhadra), Bodhisattva of Universal Benevolence, the personification of Perfect Activity and Happiness, who is often shown seated on a white elephant.
The mark Yuanmingyuan disanfen was incised to identify the location of where the watch pedestal was housed within the Palace. In this instance, the mark shows this lot was originally housed in the third section of the Yuanmingyuan, also known as the Old Summer Palace. It is very rare to find an example with a designated hallmark. See for example a cloisonné enamel box and cover incised with a Qianlong mark and of the period, and further incised ‘Anyou Gong’, referring to the Palace of the same name located in the Yuanmingyuan, sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 27 May 2012, lot 10.
The Yuanmingyuan, located in Beijing, was a monumental imperial complex of palaces and gardens renowned for its architectural grandeur and extensive collections of art, antiquities, and ceremonial objects. In 1860, during the Second Opium War, Western forces led by British and French troops sacked and destroyed the complex, looting thousands of objects, including bronzes, porcelains, and other treasures. Many of these looted objects were dispersed across Europe and eventually entered the international art market, where they were acquired by private collectors, museums, and dealers.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related embellished and enameled gilt-bronze watch pedestal in the form of an elephant, dated 19th century, 5.5 cm long, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, reference number 故雜004427N000000000.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams London, 7 November 2013, lot 67
Mid-Estimate: GBP 100,000 or approx. EUR 168,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A very rare Imperial gilt-bronze hat stand, Qianlong
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of casting, gilding, and decoration of the elephant. Note the size of the hat stand (49 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s London, 6 July 2016, lot 90
Price: GBP 56,250 or approx. EUR 92,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Chinese ormolu timepiece table clock with musical movement, late 18th century, probably Guangzhou workshops, Qianlong dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling, manner of casting, and gilding of the elephant. Note the size of the clock (40 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2007, lot 517
Price: HKD 9,504,000 or approx. EUR 1,729,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A magnificent imperial jeweled gilt-bronze elephant clock, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period
Expert remark: Compare the related subject, inlays, and finely executed gilt-metal decoration.
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