Click image to view full screen
Raft Cup
✓ Authenticity guarantee · ✓ Specialist condition report · ✓ Insured worldwide shipping · ✓ Private-room viewing
The figure watching the stars is believed to be the messenger Zhang Qian (died 114 BCE). Legend says he lost his way in the Milky Way, where he met the Weaving Maid who gave him a stone from her loom. Zhang, in fact, holds a slab inscribed <em>loom stone</em>. The vessel is dated, inscribed, and has a seal of the silversmith Zhu Bishan, from Zhejiang province, who ran a workshop in the Lake Tai area near Suzhou. Zhu is one of the few Chinese silversmiths known by name, producing silverware so desirable that his name was used like a trademark by his competitors and followers. Made of pure silver, and shaped like a hollow log, the cup was assembled from several silver pieces that were then soldered together.
| Artist / Maker | Zhu Bishan |
|---|---|
| Date | 1300s–1400s |
| Culture / Origin | China, Yuan (1271-1368) or early Ming dynasty (1368-1644) |
| Medium | hammered silver soldered together, with chased decoration |
| Dimensions | Overall: 16 cm (6 5/16 in.) |
| Department | Chinese Art |
| Type | Silver |
About the Artist
Zhu Bishan (Chinese, c. 1300–after 1362) Full biography →
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
Shipping & Collection
Fine-art shipping with climate control and full insurance to over 120 countries; collection by appointment.
Buying at Matchless Pieces
Register, verify your identity, and bid online or in a private room. Buyer’s premium and taxes are shown before you confirm.
