A RARE IMPERIALLY INSCRIBED 'GUAN-TYPE VASE, HU QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

well potted after the archaistic bronze hu form and of compressed section, supported on a tall slightly splayed foot rising to a gently waisted neck flanked by a pair of tubular handles, encircled by two horizontal ridges around the upper body, carefully incised on the base with a six-column inscription written in lishu and ending in Qianlong Yuti, the inscription and date partially hidden by the yellow inventory label, applied overall with a soft, creamy grey glaze suffused with a matrix of dark and golden crackles stopping neatly above the unglazed footring

By repute acquired by a German diplomat in Beijing in 1901, and brought to Germany in 1909 where it remained thereafter.
European Private Collection.

The vase is in very good condition overall. There is a horizontal firing line running across the bottom of the interior, and two short firing lines inside the foot of the base. There are two small burst air bubbles on the rim, and a very shallow glaze flake of approx 0.4cm resulting from a burst air bubble. The glaze is slightly warmer in tone than the illustration suggests.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This vase is inscribed with a poem titled Yong Geyao panzi (Song for the 'Ge' Dish) by the Qianlong Emperor written in the 40th year of his reign (equivalent to 1775 A.D.). This song is recorded in the Yuzhi shiji (Imperial Poetry Collection) compiled in the Siku quanshu (Library of the Four Treasuries), fourth collection (ji), 26:29a-29b, and can be translated as follows:

The elder and younger brothers of the Zhang family of Chu prefecture,
pottery by the younger is pure and beautiful, just as fine as the elder's.
But if one doesn't read the writings of the Chunfengtang, 
how could you ever know how the Ge kiln got its name?

This poem refers to an account of the Zhang brothers of Chu prefecture, Zhejiang province, who made exquisite pale green and pale white porcelain during the Song dynasty, in Lu Shen's (1477-1545) work titled Chunfengtang suibi (Writings from the Chunfengtang). 

The present lot is accompanied by a letter written in German which identifies the vase as being from the private collection of the Empress Cixi. The yellow inventory label on the base reads 'jingzi liushiliu hao' which can be translated as 'written in respect number sixty-six'.

In its glazing and form this vase was made to imitate one of the most celebrated official wares of the Song dynasty, 'Guan' ware, made for the court in the capital, Hangzhou in Zhejiang province. Laohudong in southern Hangzhou appears to have been the most important 'Guan' kilns producing wares of this highly attractive crackled glaze. Although, Qianlong refers to this type of glaze as 'Ge,' 'Ge' and 'Guan' are often confused and the latter may actually be a variation of the later. 

This vase with its pleasing broad proportions, thick glaze and two-toned crackle effect successfully imitates the 13th century prototype; for example see a Song 'Guan' vase of related form in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the Museum's Special Exhibition of Sung Dynasty Kuan Ware, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1989, cat.no. 12; and another vase in the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., included in Oriental Ceramics. The World's Great Collections, vol. 9, Tokyo, 1981, pl. 44.  

The shape of this vase is based on ritual bronze prototypes that were just being discovered and excavated during the Song dynasty. The Northern Song emperor Huizong (r. 1101-25) was a keen collector of both bronze and jade and commissioned ceramic vessels after bronze pieces in his collection. Interest in archaism remained a strong feature of Chinese connoisseurship and reached its peak during the Qing dynasty, when the present piece was made. The Qianlong emperor amassed a huge collection of ancient art objects and had pieces made imitating favourite vessels in his  collection. The combination of a precious glaze and ancient form reflects his deep appreciation for the past as well as his want for its preservation. 

For other Qing period examples of vessels of this archaic hu form and Guan-type glaze see a larger piece included in the National Palace Museum exhibition op.cit., cat.no. 17, together with a vase of similar size but with a square foot, cat.no. 7, also inscribed with a Qianlong poem on its base. 

The Qianlong emperor, apart from being known for his art collection, which included unsurpassed assembly of classic Song porcelains, is also famous for his vast legacy of poems. His connoisseurship and interest in ceramics is documented in many poems he composed on 'Guan', 'Ru', 'Ge', 'Ding', 'Jun' and other wares. Feng Xianming in Annotated Collection of Historical Documents on Ancient Chinese Ceramics, Taipei, 2000, pp. 271ff, records more than 150 Qianlong poems about Song ceramics, many of which were inscribed on Song vessels as well as contemporary imitations.