Rhino horn is a simple cluster of keratin, hair to make it simple! Yet, carved, especially in the form of cut, it turns heads and confirms the excellent health of Asian art market.

 

The rhino is the largest land mammal after the elephant and no known predators in the wild. For a hunter, it's one of the great trophies possible. In China, the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), its delicate horns are cut, cored and sculpted. They then serve as supports for brushes, painter bucket, sleeves dagger or cups. Beverages such as tea are drank at ceremonies or spilled to the ground an offering sign. These libation cups, attribute of scholar, are an important sign of social prestige.

 

 

The material of these cups as the carved patterns are an evocation of nature related to Taoism. Lotus leaves, plants or animals mingling phoenix, or small figures in a landscape reminiscent to Man eternity of nature.

In China these cups no bigger than a mug, become so popular that they are copied in white porcelain and gradually become decorative. They are produced until the 19th century.

 

At the heritage value of these cups, is added that of their raw material: rhino horn. Powdered, Chinese medicine lends many virtues she would care for malaria, epilepsy, rheumatism or cancer and is even aphrodisiac. The rhino is now threatened with extinction. This scarcity makes its horn more precious, much more than the caviar and gold: rhino horn reaches €70, 000 kg, more than double the yellow metal. This "rhinomania" pushes zoos and reserves makers to cut their own horns mammals to prevent poaching. Trade horn - even old - is extremely controlled.

 

 

The soaring prices of the horn, rarity, even its possible disappearance, participate in the pricing of these old cups.

 

France is an important source of ancient Chinese art. The taste for these "curiosities" is initiated in the 17th century at the royal favour particular embassies in China. From the 19th century, wealthy travellers are at the initiative of fabulous collections. Today, the strong economic growth in China by extension benefits the art market. An anteriority French collection attracts many Chinese collectors eager to reclaim their heritage. Rhino horn cups today generate lust, and regularly see their estimation fly in auction and sometimes reach several hundred thousand Euros.

 

So look in your attic, your cupboards because who knows if a distant ancestor has not brought any of these valuable objects of a journey!

 

Anaïs Couteau

 

 

 

This article is published in collaboration with:

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If today New York is the capital of the auctions of modern and contemporary paintings, London remains the temple of Old Masters painting as just illustrate by the auction house Sotheby's at its vacation on 3 December which saw an oil on canvas by Turner sold for £30,3 million with an estimated 15 to 20 million pounds.

 

 

 

 

 

Roma from Mount Aventine

 

Our oil painting was commissioned from William Turner (1775-1851) by one of its patrons, Hugh Munro of Novar in 1828 and asked for 7 years of work to the artist. The picture was painted in 1835 and exhibited in 1836 at the Royal Academy where it was regarded then as the most beautiful painting of Turner and the most beautiful view of Rome.

 

In 1878, our painting sold for record sum at the time of £6.142, to the fifth Earl of Rosebery, and then was passed by descent to the present.

 

Never restored on its original canvas, our oil is in a conservation status quite exceptional, according to Sotheby's, Turner brush hairs are still present.

 

Our painting is part of the ten major works by Turner still in private hands, which explains the appetite of bidders who doubled the estimate of the auction house.

 

Turner

 

Joseph William Turner (1775-1851) was an English painter of the Romantic period. He specialized in landscape paintings and history painting. It is often called "the painter of light" and is often considered as the precursor of Impressionism. It was also a great watercolorist.

 

The Earl de Rosebery and Mentmore Towers

 

Our painting was preserved until the mid-70s to Mentmore Towers castle built for the Baron Mayer de Rothschild, whose only daughter brought the fabulous collections of the castle to the fifth Earl of Rosebery, who was later Prime Minister of Great Britain. Aficionados of auctions know Mentmore following the sale of a large part of the collections of ancient paintings, French royal furniture, sculptures, silver and porcelain preceding the sale of Mentmore to pay inheritance tax.

 

It faced then with another work by Turner now in the Getty Museum. Since the 80sit was on loan to the National Gallery of Scotland.

 

Legendary work with a perfect history, the price of our painting may seem astronomical, but it is justified in terms of its quality and the importance of Turner.

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At the time in the history of the market, prices of contemporary art have never been as high and those of ancient arts have never been lower. An update on the situation.

 

Historic records in New York

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