The Story Gallery

Sanju Saku Co., Yokohama (Marked with the Turtle) Late Meiji Period, 19th Century A Repoussé Silver Teapot with Solid Jade Rabbit Finial Deep Green Nephrite Hare Finial with Inlaid S...

Su, Xuejin (1869 - 1919) A Dehua Guanyin, 19th Century Late Qing Dynasty, Guangxu Reign (1875-1908) Guanyin is modeled in lalitasana pose atop tidal rocks, carrying the legendary Pe...

The Poet Li Bai & the "Zhuxi Liuyi" Literati at Culai Mountain Peerless Tang Dynasty poet, Li Bai, who famously drowned drunk in the Yangtze River while trying to embrace the moon's watery reflection astride his boat, was immortalized by his friend Du Fu's satirical poem Yinzhong Baxian (8 Immortals of the Wine Cup - in reality, Li Bai, cavorting with his Imperial & noble literati friends). Imbibement was Li Bai's method of poetic inspiration, and the reference upon this vessel meant for alcohol consumption is no accident, making it the quintessential Chinese Export Silver drinking vessel of this type. In contrast to the common village vignettes & violent battle scenes typically found on similar vessels, we are instead treated here to a sophisticated diorama of the most elevated pursuits: Li Bai & his renowned literati group, the Zhuxi Liuyi (Li Bai, Pei Zhen, Kong Chaofu, Zhang Shuming, Han Zhun, and Du Fu) engaged in the classical arts of calligraphy, poetry, guzheng, and weiqi (圍棋) - all stimulated by cups of wine flowing from the hands of servant boys. The literati are surrounded by auspicious symbols of immortality, from lingzhi-covered ancient trees to flying cranes to mist-encircled heights replete with pagodas, bamboo, and viewing stones. The foreground bamboo stream with floating waterfowl & lotus blossoms identifies Li Bai's real-world home in Zhuxi (which means "Bamboo Stream") at Culai Mountain (in Shandong). Similar depictions of Li Bai & this illustrious group of six can be found on priceless Qianlong jade brush pots...

As my other listings show, I am a regular buyer at Christie's & Sotheby's (NYC, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong, Beverly Hills, & London), and I while I have never before offered thi...

* PURCHASED AT CHRISTIE’S, NYC * JACOB VAN OOST (1603-1671) TRONIE STUDY FOR A NATIVITY SHEPHERD, CIRCA 1628 IN THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS (1630) THE HERMITAGE MUSEUM, SAINT PET...

* PURCHASED AT CHRISTIE'S, NYC * PROVENANCE: *Alessandro Maggiori (1764-1834): Rome, 1808. *Mrs. Lester Cook: Sotheby’s, London, 1984. *The Collection of the Rothschild Family. *Ch...

* Purchased at Christie’s, NYC * A British expat who flourished in 18th century Florence, Thomas Patch's brushwork was prized for its treatment of dramatic lighting & intricate ...

* PURCHASED AT CHRISTIE'S, NYC * This diminutive bronze was given **pride of place** astride massive red porphyry columns in the Chicago penthouse of famed philanthropic collectors, James & Marilyn Alsdorf, underscoring Hercules' commanding presence, even when surrounded by life-sized statuary (cf. Christie's Alsdorf Collection video of 8/18/2020 @ 0:08s - 0:10s). ORIGINAL OWNER: CHAIRMAN, ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO **1963 AIC MUSEUM LABEL & COLL. NUMBER ATTACHED!!** Nicolo Roccatagliata (c.1593 - c.1636) A Venetian Bronze Statue of Hercules 17th century, Circa 1600 Beginning his metalwork apprenticeship in Genoa at the prodigious age of 10, Nicolo Roccatagliata was a pupil of A. Groppo, later working for Tintoretto. Roccatagliata's darkly patinated bronzes of classical & religious subjects adorn the world's finest museums. Original to the artist's 17th century studio (in contrast to a proliferation of later Grand Tour copies), the present model's late Renaissance date is evinced by the variegated patination, unforced natural modeling, and archaic casting methods (which continued under his son, Sebastiano). Marked by superior rendering of the abdominal musculature & posterior flesh, a 16th century Renaissance contrapposto in Hercules' stance is counterbalanced by an evident trend towards early 17th century mannerism in the stylized treatment of the hair, beard, and eyes. While the Vienna version (provenanced by 1924) is argued by some to be the finest from Roccatagliata's workshop, Yale University's (London, 1958) has finer details. Yet, these details betray the Yale model's origins as a sophisticated product of an 18th/19th century copyist, who worked from an entirely new wax model, recast by later methods, and intricately tooled & reimagined the surface into an almost plastic patina. Still, the Vienna statue...

A private piece from a family collection, never before offered for sale. Single-family ownership for 135 years. The finest quality antique coral, natural, undyed. This necklace repr...

17.49 CT Tanzanite center stone. Peerless. The finest color Tanzanite ever mined. Deep violet blue, just like the best sapphires, but with an added purple glow only seen in top Tanza...

*HUGE* ~17 CARAT NATURAL COLOR-CHANGE PINK - PURPLE STAR SAPPHIRE WITH 6 RAYS! NEW GIA CERT APRIL 2026! SRI LANKAN ORIGIN REPORT! 20-DIAMOND HALO (~1.75 TCW) SOLID PLATINUM BAND &a...