A BRONZE 'CHILONG' WEIGHT, LATE MING TO EARLY QING DYNASTY
China, 17th-18th century. Cast as a striding chilong with a sinuous body, scrolling tail, stretched-out limbs, and fierce expression with large eyes and mouth wide-open, revealing sharp fangs.

Provenance: From the Private Collection of a Gentleman in the United Kingdom, acquired by the owner's father and thence by descent.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, few minuscule nicks, microscopic remnants of gilt. Fine dark patina.

Weight: 511.7 g
Dimensions: Length 24.2 cm

Auction result comparison: Compare a related but earlier bronze brush rest in the form of two confronting chilong, of slightly smaller size (17.8 cm) and dated Song to Ming dynasty, at Christie's Hong Kong, in Inspiring the Ming - Life of a Scholar-Official, on 30 November 2020, lot 2841, sold for HKD 150,000. Compare also a related gilt bronze figure of a chilong, also dated late Ming to early Qing dynasty, but of considerably smaller size (12.2 cm), at Christie's New York, in The Collection of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth Part V, on 21 March 2015, lot 1056, sold for USD 47,500.

明末清初螭龍銅鎮紙
中國，十七至十八世紀。鑄成大步邁開的螭龍，身軀蜿蜒，尾巴捲曲，四肢伸展，大眼大嘴，表情凶猛，露出鋒利的獠牙。

來源：英國一位紳士的私人收藏，原爲其父親購置，保存至今
品相：狀況極好，有輕微磨損，微小的劃痕，細微鎏金殘留。細膩深色的包漿。

重量：511.7 克
尺寸：長24.2 厘米

拍賣結果比較：一件相近但稍早的雙螭龍銅筆擱，尺寸稍小 (17.8 厘米) ，宋至明代, 見香港佳士得Inspiring the Ming - Life of a Scholar-Official 2020年11月30日 lot 2841, 售價HKD 150,000。一件明末清初鎏金銅螭龍，尺寸稍小 (12.2 厘米), 見紐約佳士得The Collection of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth Part V 2015年3月21日 lot 1056, 售價USD 47,500。