This lot is offered without reserve

拍品描述

This lot is offered without reserve A Chinese Suzhou 'golden brick' Qing dynasty, Qianlong period, 1753 Inscribed to one side in three reserves 乾隆十八年成造細料二尺見方金磚, (Gold brick of fine material measuring two chi square, made in the 18th year of the Qianlong reign), 督造官江南蘇州府知府, (Supervising Official, Prefect of Jiangnan Suzhou Prefecture), 「大一甲 袁洪德造 (Created by Yuan Hongde, Class 1A), 72.5cm x 73.7cm x 38.5cm high, mounted as a low table. 清乾隆一七五三 蘇州金磚矮桌 “Golden bricks” refer to a type of high-grade imperial floor brick specially commissioned by the court during the Ming and Qing dynasties. By the Qianlong period, the production techniques had reached full maturity, accompanied by increasingly stringent regulations and standards. Kilns previously operating in regions such as Jiangning, Taicang, Songjiang, Changzhou, and Zhenjiang were gradually discontinued, leaving Suzhou Prefecture as the sole officially designated production centre. Specially appointed officials were responsible for overseeing both manufacture and transportation. The use of these bricks can be broadly categorised into eight principal contexts: the Forbidden City, imperial gardens, imperial mausolea, altars and temples, the Imperial Academy (國子監 Guozijian), the Imperial Archives (皇史宬 Huang shi cheng), princely residences of regents, and the Baoquan and Baoyuan Mints. According to the Qinding Da Qing Huidian（《欽定大清會典》）, imperial “golden bricks” were produced in two standard sizes, namely er chi(二尺) and chi qi (尺七). The value of a chi today in mainland China is standardised as 33.3cm, a third of a metre though throughout the 18th and 19th centuries varied from 31cm - 37cm. At 72.3x72.5cm, the present brick is one of the rarest sizes produced, with fewer than ten recorded above 70cm in width.

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