Shaped in the form of fantastical dragon-like animal with removable wings, bird-like clawed feet, a tail and a scaley body, it measures 21 x 20½ x 8¼in (53 x 50 x 21cm) and weighs 5850gm.
It is dated to the first half of the 17th century and was made in south China or south-east Asia for the Portuguese market.
Nine or 10 of these silver aquamanile are known, most in Portuguese private collections. One of them recently featured in the sale of the Hôtel Lambert collection held by Sotheby’s in Paris in 2022.
Veritas’ example has a provenance to the collection assembled by Pedro Rodrigues Costa Jr (1870-1958) and later that of his son Pedro António Costa (1933-2023).
It will be offered in the auction house’s sale of antiques, works of art, silver and jewellery to be held on May 22-23, with an estimate of €80,000-100,000.
