A pair of Ming-style Dung-Chen trumpets in cloisonné enamel - Lot 223

A pair of Ming-style Dung-Chen trumpets in cloisonné enamel China Late Qing dynasty / Republic / Minguo The two trumpets, telescopic, in cloisonné enamel and gilded copper. Each is decorated with bright, colorful enamels, featuring eleven five-clawed dragons flying amidst clouds above crashing waves, some depicted head-on in archaic style (zheng long), others seen from the side (xing long). The Dung-Chen is a long telescopic trumpet or horn used in Tibetan and Mongolian Buddhist ceremonies, preludes, processions and morning and evening calls to prayer. It is the most widely used instrument in Tibetan Buddhist culture. It is often played in pairs or multiples, and the sound is likened to the song of elephants. In ancient China, musical instruments were rarely enameled. This technique would have been mostly reserved for boxes or vases. It is known that examples of this type were among the many instruments made in China and sent as gifts to impress officials in neighboring nations. A similar pair of trumpets dating from the Ming dynasty is in the Metropolitan Museum, New York (inventory number 1988.349). Height (open): 188 cm Height (closed): 53.5 cm A few small cracks in the metal, minor chips and traces of oxidation.