40万成交，83号号牌。本件器物年代争议颇大，导致低价成交。
磁州窯是一個很漫長的探索，在20世紀初，磁州曾經是藝術家、文人最愛的品種，可惜事與願違，這類器物經過了將近一個世紀的沈寂。近期，對於藝術的追求從皇權逐漸轉向內心，更多的藏家開始關心文化內涵。
這種從視網膜感官刺激轉向精神世界的壯舉，是人類文明前進重要的一小步。
Cizhou is a complex concept, at the beginning of the 20th century, Cizhou was once the favourite category of artists and literati, but unfortunately it was then overshadowed for almost a century. Recently, the pursuit of art has gradually shifted from imperial power to the focus on the sprituality, and more collectors have begun to care about cultural connotations.
This shift from retinal sensory stimulation to the spiritual world is an important small step forward for art appreciation.
紐約蘇富比2021年3月17日，lot123
小聽颿樓其他拍品：
此吐魯瓶澀胎淺褐，化妝土白若象牙，瓷匠巧用二色，造就開光牡丹含蓄樸雅。磁州器一詞，泛指一系列擅用化妝土為飾之窰，其中又以河北觀台窰為首。觀台窰瓷器，紋飾多樣，風格揮灑，技巧卓著，初施剔劃之技，後來則直接用筆畫花，如文士書畫揮毫，寫意流麗。然磁州窰最重要的風格，則要數善用化妝土之劃花技藝。始用於繪飾盛行之前，瓷匠採用黑白二色雙層化妝土，以色彩對比凸顯圖案，也有於素胎上施單層黑或白色化妝土然後劃花者，本品即為佳例。乍看還以為剔花率性隨心，細觀可察匠心獨運，配以簡約器形，印證瓷藝之絕。
參考一件器形、紋飾皆與此同的吐魯瓶，收入《特別展：中国の陶磁》，東京國立博物館，東京，1994年，編號194。另可比較觀台出土例子，如一劃花纏枝牡丹吐魯瓶，圖載於《磁州觀台窰址》，北京，1997年，圖版XXII:6；以及一剔花瓷枕，枕上飾以相類牡丹開光，收入《中國出土瓷器全集》，北京，2008年，卷3，圖版138，文字描述中提及學者相信應定為北宋磁州之物。
Estimate
400,000 - 800,000 HKD
Description
A Cizhou white-glazed sgraffiato 'peony' jar,
Northern Song dynasty
北宋 磁州白釉剔牡丹紋吐魯瓶
sturdily potted with an ovoid body surmounted by a waisted neck with a galleried rim, the exterior applied with a white slip, skilfully carved through the white slip to the buff-coloured body with four quatrefoil panels enclosing peony blooms borne on curling leafy scrolls, between two bands of petal lappets encircling the upper shoulder and foot, all beneath a translucent milky glaze
h. 21 cm
Provenance
The Canton Collection, Hong Kong, and thence by family descent.
小聽颿樓收藏，香港，此後家族傳承
Catalogue Note
The present jar, or tuluping, derives its beauty from the sgraffiato design of peony panels, skilfully carved through the ivory-white slip coating to the light beige-brown body.
The term Cizhou tends to be freely used for various kilns using slip designs, distributed particularly over Hebei and Henan, the most important being the Cizhou-type site at Guantai in Hebei.
The Guantai kilns created not only a wide variety of decorative styles, but are particularly renowned for their masterful yet free manner of execution, with the potters wielding the carving knife, and later the brush, with a spontaneity like that displayed by the literati painters of the time in their ink paintings.
A closely related jar of this form and decoration is included in Special Exhibition. Chinese Ceramics, Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, 1994, cat. no. 194. Compare two examples excavated from Guantai: a tuluping-form jar, but carved with a continuous peony scroll, illustrated in The Cizhou Kiln Site at Guantai, Beijing, 1997, pl. XXII:6;
and a pillow similarly decorated with a peony panel design included in Complete Collection of Ceramic Art Unearthed in China, Beijing, 2008, vol. 3, pl. 138, where the author suggests a Northern Song attribution.
Cizhou Sgraffiato Ware FAQ
What is Cizhou ware?
Cizhou ware refers to a broad range of ceramics produced at various kilns across northern China, primarily in Hebei and Henan provinces. These wares are distinguished by their decorative techniques using contrasting slip colors, primarily white and black. The most renowned of these kilns is the Guantai kiln in Hebei.
What is the sgraffiato technique?
Sgraffiato is an Italian term meaning "scratched," which accurately describes the process used to decorate many Cizhou wares. It involves applying multiple layers of slip, often white over a darker body, and then carefully incising designs through the top layer to reveal the contrasting color beneath. This intricate process creates stunning visual effects and adds a layer of complexity to the pottery.
What is special about the linear ground patterns on the "peony" tulu vase?
This particular vase stands out for its unique use of fine linear patterns in the negative space surrounding the main peony motifs. Unlike typical sgraffiato wares where the background is simply carved to a plain white, this vase features delicate hatching and combing that adds visual depth and texture, elevating its artistry. This meticulous attention to detail sets it apart from other pieces and demonstrates a high level of skill.
What is the significance of the tulu vase shape?
The tulu, or tuluping, shape is derived from the classic meiping vase but features a shorter, more bulbous body. This form was popular during the Northern Song and Jin dynasties (approximately 11th-12th centuries), making surviving examples relatively rare. The tulu shape, with its small mouth, broad shoulders, and wide base, offers a balanced and elegant form for showcasing sgraffiato decoration.
Why were Cizhou wares prized by literati?
Cizhou wares, particularly those with sgraffiato decoration, often incorporated motifs and aesthetics that resonated with the literati class. The fluid lines of the carved designs, especially in pieces with calligraphic elements, evoked the art of painting and calligraphy, which were highly valued by literati. The use of black and white also aligned with the literati's appreciation for simplicity and elegance.
What role did the Poon family play in preserving Chinese art?
The Poon family, prominent merchants and art enthusiasts, amassed an impressive collection of Chinese art and artifacts over nine generations, spanning from the 18th century to the present day. Their collections, including the renowned Tingfanlou and later the Canton Collection, housed rare calligraphy, paintings, ceramics, and more. The family's dedication to collecting, preserving, and understanding Chinese art helped to safeguard cultural heritage and promote its appreciation across generations.
How did the Poon family's business background influence their collecting?
The Poon family's success in international trade, particularly during the height of the Canton trade system, provided them with the financial resources and exposure to diverse cultures that facilitated their art collecting. Their understanding of global markets and appreciation for craftsmanship likely informed their discerning taste and contributed to the breadth and quality of their collections.
What is the Poon family's philosophy on collecting?
Ronald Poon, a key figure in the family's later collecting endeavors, believed that collecting should be about "transitional ownership," meaning that collectors have a responsibility to preserve and pass on cultural heritage. He saw collecting not as a means of personal possession but as a stewardship for future generations and the broader art community. This philosophy underscores the family's commitment to the long-term appreciation and preservation of Chinese art.
盡善與尊榮: 潘氏家族珍藏
OF REVERENCE AND EXCELLENCE:
THE STORY OF THE POON FAMILY COLLECTION
潘氏家族藏珍，承載的不只是個人傳記，而是從十八世紀肇始歷經沉澱的史詩。家族庋藏，由十九世紀初潘有為奠基，經過潘正煒聽颿樓的擴展，傳到潘祖堯 所立的小聽颿樓，集思博識，是累積兩世紀品鑑、學問的結晶。縱歷中國社會興衰變遷，九代傳承至今， 歷史意義無庸置疑。
The Poon family collection carries the imprints of not just one but many fascinating personalities and histories of the same family, stretching from the beginning of the 18th century up to the present day. At the heart of the Poon family collection - pioneered by Pan Youwei in the early 19th century, followed by the Tingfanlou Collection of Pan Zhengwei and the Canton Collection of his descendent Ronald Poon - are treasures curated over two centuries of scholarly interest and refined connoisseurship. The story of how the collections came into existence and evolved in response to the vicissitudes of social changes in China within one single family, over nine generations, is remarkable to historians in its own right.
「余夙有書畫癖;三十年來，每遇名人墨蹟，必購而藏之。」潘正煒 1
“I am addicted to calligraphies and paintings. I have been compelled to acquire all the renowned artists’ works I have ever chanced upon in the past thirty years.”
Pan Zhengwei1
fig. 1. Anon., A portrait of Poankeequa III (1791-1850), hanging scroll, Qing dynasty, 19 Century 圖一 清十九世紀 《潘正煒像》 掛軸
聽颿樓的故事，得從第三代啟官潘正煒(1791-1850 年， 圖一)說起。潘正煒學有所成，授翰林院編修。他又通 法書、擅鑑辨，在潘家大院建聽颿樓庋藏墨蹟、丹青、 銅印等，當中名家書畫罕珍，時人稱絕。莊申列為清末 廣東五家名藏，實不為過。2
fig. 2. A rubbing of the Dingwu-version Orchid Pavilion Preface, Tang dynasty, Taito City Calligraphy Museum, Tokyo 圖二 唐 東晉王羲之《定武蘭亭序》韓珠船本拓片 冊頁 東京台東區立書道博物館
聽颿樓藏珍首推宋仁宗與高宗臨王羲之《蘭亭序》卷 (拍品編號 861)，宸翰稀珍。王羲之《蘭亭序》其文膾炙人口，其書被奉為法書至高經典，歷代書家無不 精研臨摹。宋代第四位君主仁宗，在位時間最長，史評「為人君，止於仁。帝誠無愧焉。」雖然日理萬機，閑暇時寄情筆墨。仁宗法書著錄已稀，傳世作品更罕。趙室四代後，宋朝第十位皇帝高宗，又即南宋開國君主， 也臨《蘭亭》。二帝法書合裝一卷，題跋自南宋至清代道光，跨越七世紀。直至道光年間，宋代宸翰乃與《定武蘭亭唐榻本》共裱一卷(圖二)，但現已分道揚鑣。 3 潘家珍存此卷，從潘正煒聽颿樓到潘祖堯的小聽颿樓， 逾一百七十寒暑。
The story of the Tingfanlou Collection officially began when Pan Zhengwei (also known as Poankeequa III, 1791-1850, fig. 1) built a pavilion in the family compound to house his exceptional collection of calligraphy, paintings and seals. A discerning connoisseur and renaissance man who excelled in literature and calligraphy, Pan Zhengwei was also editor of the Hanlin Academy, an elite group of scholars attached to the imperial court. He named his beloved pavilion Tingfanlou (the mansion for listening to the sails'). The collection contained an impressive array of artworks, including some of the rarest calligraphies and paintings in Chinese art history, and was named by the Chinese art historian Zhuang Shen as one of the top five art collections in Guangdong in the late Oing dynasty. 3
Chief among the treasures in the Tingfanlou Collection was the Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion after Wang Xizhi by the Song Emperors Renzong and Gaozong (lot 861), an incredibly rare extant scroll of imperial calligraphy. Universally appreciated as a brilliant piece of prose and an unparalleled example of running script, calligraphers through the ages have studied and emulated Wang Xizhi's Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion. Emperor Renzong, the fourth and longest-reigning emperor of the Song dynasty, is remembered by history as a benevolent leader whose "conduct as an emperor was beyond reproach." When not preoccupied by the myriad affairs of the state, Emperor Renzong devoted himself to the brush and ink. Written descriptions of his
fig. 3. Shitao (1642-after 1707), Most Spectacular Peaks, Qing dynasty. Ink on paper, handscroll. Courtesy of the Palace Museum, Beijing
圖三 清 石濤(1642-1707年後) 《搜盡奇峰圖》卷 紙本水墨 圖片鳴謝:北京故宮博物院
聽颿樓舊藏書畫，還得須提及石濤(1642-1718 年後) 的《搜盡奇峰圖》卷(圖三)，筆墨豪放，峻嶺雄渾，公認乃其頂峰絕作，展中國古代山水繪畫之極至，現藏北京故宮博物院。
潘正煒為所存書畫古物，出版詳細著錄，有《聽颿樓書畫記》、《古銅印匯》 、《聽颿樓集帖》傳世，至今仍 見再版印行，極為難得。前者附價目表，為史家提供了 絕佳的文獻資料，可從中窺視當時廣東文人品味，見證 士紳透過締結姻親、拜師學徒、財政贊助、交朋識友等 組成錯綜複雜的社會網絡。是以藝術史學家官綺雲指， 由文人主導定義的經典，長期向北京和長江下游江南地 區的文化中心傾斜，聽颿樓卻為抗衡此狹隘思路引來一 股重要清流。4
在中國貿易與社會發展的歷史背景下，聽颿樓的故事強調尊榮尚古的傳統。
calligraphic work are incredibly rare, let alone surviving examples. Four generations later, Emperor Gaozong, the tenth emperor of the Song dynasty and the first of the Southern Song, composed his own version of the famed Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion. The scroll contains inscriptions spanning the Southern Song to the Daoguang era of the Qing dynasty, and before the Daoguang era was in fact mounted together with an ancient rubbing of the Dingwu-version Orchid Pavilion Preface (fig: 2). For more than 170 years the scroll was privately held by the Poon family, from Pan Zhengwei's Tingfanlou Collection to Ronald Poon's Canton Collection.
Another noteworthy masterpiece that passed through the Tingfanlou Collection was Shitao's (1642- after 1718) Most Spectacular Peaks (fig: 3), now in the collection of the Beijing Palace Museum. It is widely considered to be the finest surviving work of the legendary Qing dynasty artist.Rather unusually for the time, Zhengwei authored and published a series of detailed catalogues of the best calligraphies, paintings, and other artworks in his collection. Of these volumes, Tingfanlou shuhua ji [A record of paintings and calligraphy at Tingfanloul, Gu tong yin hui [The collection of ancient bronze seals], and Tingfanlou ji tie [The Tingfanlou collection of calligraphies] survive and are still in print to this day. Importantly for historians, Zhengwei included a price list, which provided insights into elite tastes within the Canton region, as well as the complex networks of social identity formed by marriage, mentorship, patronage and friendship. His collection thus came to represent an important counterweight to the "parochialism of a literati-biased canon that favoured the cultural centres of Beijing and Jiangnan (the Lower Yangtze region)," in the words of the art historian Yeewan Koon.4
潘家原藉福建，正煒屬家族立業廣州、定居番禺後的第三代。他的袓父潘振承(1714-1788 年，圖四)，洋人以啟官稱之，奠定家族基業，功不可 沒。生於福建，振承少時隨父在呂宋從事貿易生意，在馬尼拉信奉基督教、通曉西班牙語。十八世紀中葉，振承返國定居廣州，乘著「一口通商」之利，與丹麥、法國、 英倫多地均有貿易往來，經營絲綢、茶葉等買賣。
The origin story of the Tingfanlou Collection espouses the classical values of filial honour and reverence for the past, amidst the wider historical backdrop of Chinese trade and societal development. Pan Zhengwei was the third Guangzhou-based generation of a Fujian merchant family that settled in Panyu. His grandfather, Pan Zhencheng (1714-1788, fig. 4), also known as Poankeequa I, laid the foundation of this influential Canton merchant house. Born in Fujian, he worked with his father in the trading business in Manila, where he converted to Christianity and became a fluent Spanish speaker. He returned to China in the mid-18th century and settled in Guangzhou, at the time the only port open to foreign trade in the whole of China. There he traded silk, tea and porcelain with countries such as Denmark, France and England.
潘振承促成公行重設，並出任商總，在廣東叱吒風雲。 公行除了管理貿易事務，還得負責徵收關稅，以及保證外國商人與海員在華操守。公行在滿清政府與外商中間 擔當緩衝的角色，有需要時更暫代外交官員，協助處理與歐州各國關係，負起斡旋、簽約之責。1760 年代， 隨著自家商號同文行(圖五)的成立，以及個別洋行退出競爭，潘氏在貿易 76 份額中便佔了 12。
Zhencheng became a prominent figure in Canton, especially in diplomatic relations with European powers. He initiated the re-establishment of and chaired the Co- Hong, a powerful regulatory body that officially engaged in trade management, collected duties and oversaw the conduct of foreign traders and crews. The body also assumed quasi-diplomatic duties, signing contracts on behalf of the Qing government and mediating on its behalf with Western powers. By the 1760s, with the opening of his own company, Tongwen Hang (fig. 5), and the retreat of some of his major competitors, Zhencheng reportedly controlled 12 out of 76 shares into which the trade was divided.
fig. 5. Anon., The Alexander Hume Scroll Painting of Foreign Factories in Canton, 1772, gouache on silk, handscroll, 91.5 by 276.5 cm. Left detail: Tongwen Hang © Copyrights by Hong Kong Maritime Museum, no. HKMM2015.0020.0001 / 圖五 1772年 《廣州十三行洪氏卷軸》 絹本水粉 手卷 91.5 x 276.5 公分 左圖局部乃同文行舊貎 © 香港海事博物館版權所有 編號HKMM2012.0016.0001
到了 1770- 1780 年代，潘振承同文行的生意蒸蒸日上，尤其在絲綢出口及與西班牙的貿易上獨佔鰲頭。5 在清廷出口限制與 歐洲市場需求之間，面對原材料供給不穩、海難損失等， 潘振承總是沉著應對，在滿清官員之間，更是游刃有餘， 深得外商信賴，備受敬重。
By the 1770s-80s Zhencheng was one of the top players in Chinese maritime trade, dominating the silk trade and business with the Spanish in particular." He was well respected by the Europeans as a trustworthy businessman who expertly navigated the Qing court's export restrictions and the surging demands of European markets, whilst formulating solutions to key issues of the day such as the unpredictable supply of raw materials and long-distance sea voyage casualties.
1788 年潘振承辭世，四子潘有度(1755-1820 年，圖六) 繼承父業，接管同文行。潘有度為人低調，但隨著歲月 增長，他成為行商元老，在海上貿易中的地位無庸置疑， 先後兩回出任商總，廣受尊重。6 然正因如此，即使他後來決心辭退職務、結束經營近半世紀的同文行時，滿 清政府迫使潘有度重返商壇。在 1814 年，退休不過七 年後，潘有度以新商號同孚行續營外貿。7
Zhencheng's fourth son Pan Youdu (Poankeequa II, 1755-1820, fig: 6) inherited Tongwen Hang after his passing in1788. Initially reticent about assuming the limelight, he emerged as an influential player in maritime trade in his own right, serving two tenures as the chief merchant of the Co-Hong.' Such was his success that when he decided to retire and close Tongwen Hang after almost half a century in business, the Qing government urged him to return to the trade. Somewhat reluctantly, just seven years after retiring in 1814, Youdu resumed business under the new banner of Tongfu Hang.7
在潘振承的基礎上，潘有度續為家族子嗣的仕學前途籌 謀。受益於父親潘振承的支持，門第溢書香，潘有度多 名弟兄科舉有成，功名既得，供職清廷。有度在番禺的 宅第潘園中設私塾，積極栽培後代。他的兒子潘正煒， 即前述聽颿樓主人，在他辭世後接管同孚行，經營得道， 同受景仰。
Youdu also continued laying the foundations of his family's future. Many of his brothers had benefited from his father's support in the civil examinations, going on to serve the Qing court in various capacities, and Youdu founded a private school within the Panyu family compound to oversee the education of the family's younger members. His son, the aforementioned Pan Zhengwei, inherited the family business after Youdu's passing and became a successful and respected merchant in his own right.
「潘氏以至聽颿樓的源起故事，不是個
別富商的和寡曲高，而是整個家族對
中外事物的好知敏求、孜孜不怠，共
同以書香學養，讓廣州成為不可忽視
的文化樞紐。」
潘氏以至聽颿樓的源起故事，不是個別富商的和寡曲高， 而是整個家族對中外事物的好知敏求、孜孜不怠，共同以書香學養，讓廣州成為不可忽視的文化樞紐。以潘有度兄長潘有為(1743-1821 年)為例，他曾參與校對《四庫全書》。乾隆帝下旨編修《四庫全書》，收錄書目數千， 是中國歷代叢書之最。潘有為辭官後醉心蒐集書畫古物， 藏藝番禺潘園中，收蓄甚豐。潘正煒堂弟仕成(1804- 1873 年)，同樣經營海貿致富，在粵築建海山仙館以藏書畫。
The story of the Poon family and the origins of the Tingfanlou Collection is not one of wealthy, isolated individuals who indulged in esoteric interests, but rather of a family whose innate curiosity in the world within and beyond China fostered a culture of scholarly excellence and reframed the Canton region as a centre of cultural importance. For example, Youdu’s elder brother Youwei (1743-1821) was one of the editors of the Siku Quanshu (“The Complete Library of the Four Treasuries”), a Chinese encyclopedia commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor which forms the largest collection of books in imperial Chinese history, and his retirement residence in the Panyu compound housed a rich collection of calligraphies, paintings and antiquities. Zhengwei’s cousin, Pan Shicheng (1804-1873), who had also experienced enormous financial success through trade, built an enviable collection of paintings and calligraphy that he named Haishan Xianguan (‘The Seamount House of Divinity’).
十九世紀中葉，國運逆轉，但憑著百折不撓的家族精神， 潘氏乘風破浪，奮力進取。隨著清廷與西方列強關係逐步惡化，對外貿易首當其衝。潘正煒身為三代行商，第一次鴉片戰爭前後，多次捐資抗英。但首次鴉片戰爭失敗後，清政府被迫開放其他港口，從此十三行不再壟斷市場，同孚行步向夕陽。清末時勢所逼，潘家各房更是顛沛流離。
This hard-won familial culture of resilience and adaptability was able to withstand the headwinds of ill- fortune. By the mid-19th century, as relations between the Qing court and Western powers deteriorated, foreign trade suffered. Zhengwei provided financial support for the Qing’s defensive campaign against the British during the First Opium War, but their defeat resulted in the forced opening of additional ports in China. The Canton merchants lost their exclusive access to international trade, and the heyday of Tongfu Hang and the Poon family business was over. Further turmoil towards the end of the Qing dynasty displaced many members of the clan.
縱然如此，仗賴前人慧智，奠基立業，潘家人才輩出， 族中多人入仕，或能書、或擅繪。潘正煒四子師徵 (1831-1894 年，圖七)乃國學生，翰林院待詔、登仕佐郎，書法得歐陽詢意韻，擅畫梅花。8 師徵三子寶珩 (1862-1927 年，圖八)，光緒八年(1882 年)中舉從仕，又歷任咨議局、財政局議紳。
辛亥革命後，投資廣州電力公司，出任總理，對粵地電力發展貢獻良多。他又樂善好施，創辦廣東公醫學堂(現廣州中山大學中山 醫學院)、河南仁濟留醫院，澤延後世。9 除了祖傳古物，潘寶珩也嗜好蒐集陶古物，豐富其藏，尤好鈞瓷之雅澤麗彩，蒐集不少絕世禹州佳品，為世傳頌(拍品編號 808、圖九)。
Yet the family continued to flourish from the wisdom and foundations laid by their forefathers. The following generations produced numerous writers, painters and high officials serving the imperial court. For example, Zhengwei’s fourth son, Pan Shizheng (1831-1894, fig. 7), also a scholar of the elite Hanlin Academy, reputedly excelled in painting prunus and writing in the calligraphic style of Ouyang Xun (557-641).8 Shizheng’s third son, Pan Baoheng (1862-1927, fig. 8), served the Qing government in its last days and led the Consultative and Finance Bureaux at the turn of the century. A successful businessman and politician whose investment and involvement in the leadership of the Canton Electric Power were instrumental in developing the region’s infrastructure, he was also a noted philanthropist who founded the Guangdong Public Medical School (now the Sun Yat-sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine) and the Henan Renji Hospital.9 Fascinated by the elegance of ancient works of art, Baoheng expanded the family’s inherited art collection by acquiring some of the finest examples of dazzling blue and purple glazed Jun ceramics (lot 808, fig. 9).
fig. 9. A Junyao purple-splashed dish, Song dynasty. Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 22nd April 2021, lot 16 / 圖九 宋 鈞窰天青釉紫斑折沿盤 香港蘇富比2021 年4月22日，編號16
二十世紀初，部分族人移居香港，心仍緊繫社稷，續寫文化傳承美史。潘寶珩次子恩愷(1912-1973 年)在牛津大學攻讀法律，回港後成為首位華人法官，曾任中央裁判處首席法官，為人尊敬。潘恩愷也以藏物為好，主攻郵票、鼻煙壺。香港淪陷日治期間，悉心存珍，力保家藏器物免受損傷佚失。10
Even as members of the family migrated to Hong Kong in the early 20th century, their sense of public duty and love of their cultural heritage did not waver. Poon Yan Hoi (1912-1973), Baoheng’s second son, studied law at The University of Oxford, became the first Chinese judge in Hong Kong and served as Chief Justice of the Central Magistrate’s Office. A philatelist and a collector of snuff bottles, he managed to safeguard many heirlooms amidst the turbulent years of the Japanese occupation in Hong Kong.10
「收藏的原則只要曾經擁有，不在乎天長地久或留給子孫永享⋯⋯只要有其他藏家接手，那保存古物的使命就得到落實。 潘祖堯"11
“The principle of collecting should be one of transitional ownership and not permanent ownership... As long as there are other collectors to continue the possession of the pieces, the preservation of antiquity will be accomplished.” Ronald Poon11
潘恩愷次子祖堯（1942-2022年，圖十）建築事業有成，且熱心公共事務，對社會貢獻良多。少時因著熱忱，原以藝術家為理想。及後受恩師啟迪，望能對社會所需有更直接的貢獻，決心立志，終成建築名家。歷任多項公共要職，包括香港建築師學會會長、世界華人建築師協會創會會長、亞洲建築師學會第一任會長、香港房屋協會主席、中國全國第八、九、十及十一屆政協委員，在不同崗位惠澤社群。
Yan Hoi’s second son, Ronald Poon (1942-2022, fig. 10), enjoyed a distinguished career in architecture and public service. In his youth, he planned to become an artist as he was passionate about the arts. Yet under a mentor’s inspiration, he eventually became an architect as he believed that through architecture he could do more to positively contribute to the needs of society. Ronald served (among other roles) as President of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, Founding President of the World Association of Chinese Architects, First Chairman of the Architects Regional Council Asia, Chairman of the Hong Kong Housing Society and 4-term Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
眼見不少聽颿樓舊物流散，潘祖堯在祖傳瑰寶的基礎上，擴建收藏，命名「小聽颿樓」，以念先恩。受惠於黃寶熙（樂在軒主人，1907-1979年）及其子黃仲方（藝術家、樂常在軒主人，1943-2022年）的指導，祖堯尋珍集雅。又時與知音雅集，如建築師鍾華楠（1931-2018年）、書法家林悦恒（1935年生）、現代畫家如朱屺瞻（1892-1996年）、程十髮（1921-2007年）、黃永玉（1924-2023年）與黃胄（1925-1997年），志同道合，相知相交。祖堯博觀約取，搜羅法書、繪畫、陶瓷、家具等，門類寬廣，精品琳瑯。且又竭誠推廣中國藝術知識，積極提高賞鑑品味，1991-1993年更出任香港收藏家協會敏求精舍主席，對文化事務不遺餘力。
Although many of the Tingfanlou’s treasures had been dispersed over the centuries, Ronald set about assembling a revitalised collection of Chinese art with his inherited heirlooms, which he named the Canton Collection (or Xiaotingfanlou, “Little Tingfanlou”, in Chinese) in honour of his great-great-grandfather. Ronald embarked upon his collecting journey under the guidance of Wong Pao- hsie, master of Lezaixuan (1907-1979) and his son Harold Wong, an artist and master of Lechangzaixuan (1943- 2022). He surrounded himself with like-minded friends, including the architect Chung Hua Nan (1931-2018), calligrapher Lin Yue-hang (b. 1935), and renowned artists such as Zhu Qizhan (1892-1996), Cheng Shifa (1921-2007), Huang Yongyu (1924-2023) and Huang Zhou (1925- 1997). Ronald never sacrificed depth for breadth, building an outstanding collection which ranged from museum- worthy calligraphies and modern Chinese paintings to ceramics and furniture. From 1991 to 1993, he chaired the prestigious Min Chiu Society, the elite Hong Kong collectors’ association, cultivating the understanding and appreciation of Chinese art in his family’s new homeland.
「從潘振承到潘祖堯，作為收藏家，他們以尊古臻善為旨，追求至善至美，勉力不懈。對探索的好奇、對生命的禮贊、對真諦的渴求，正是潘氏家族的故事。」
“From Pan Zhengcheng to Ronald Poon, being a collector reflected their reverence for the past, it was an overflow of their pursuit of splendour and beauty. This intense curiosity to explore. This fascination with the wonders of life. This spiritual thirst to seek deeper truths. This is the story of the Poon family.”
潘氏成就，九代傳承，豈能以一個收藏概之？他們共創的卓犖峻業，是望族的傳奇。他們的文化足跡，猶如其海貿輝煌，永垂青史。從潘振承到潘祖堯，作為收藏家，他們以尊古臻善為旨，追求至善至美，勉力不懈。對探索的好奇、對生命的禮贊、對真諦的渴求，正是潘氏家族的故事。
Over nine generations, the Poon family achieved something more than a collection; they created a legacy of excellence that would leave its mark on the Chinese art world as much as 18th- and 19th-century international maritime trade. From Pan Zhengcheng to Ronald Poon, being a collector reflected their reverence for the past, it was an overflow of their pursuit of splendour and beauty. This intense curiosity to explore. This fascination with the wonders of life. This spiritual thirst to seek deeper truths. This is the story of the Poon family.
宋代筆記 Vol.96 / 拍賣筆記 vol.32 小聽颿樓：北宋磁州白釉剔牡丹紋吐魯瓶 - A Cizhou White-Glazed Sgraffiato 'Peony' Jar, Canton Collection.
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