A LARGE CHINESE EXPORT 'FAMILLE-VERTE' MONTEITH QING DYNASTY, KANGXI PERIOD, CIRCA 1725

of oval section, the deep sides rising to a crenellated edge and supported on four claw and ball feet, the exterior with floral sprays and boughs and two large chrysanthemum heads each issuing a loop handle on either side, the interior with carp amidst water weed and shellfish with further carp painted swimming along the sides and rim

There is a visible old repair mostly on the interior edge covering a minor chip or repair. There is a old repair to the corner of one of the crenellations and one of the loop handles is replaced. There is a firing crack where the boss of this handle joins the body which has been filled with a yellowish substance. Otherwise the monteith is in good condition.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The monteith is reputedly named after a Scotsman who designed a cloak with a crenellated edge. The present piece with its boldly crenellated rim is derived from a silver prototype, which is first mentioned in English records in 1683. It is unlikely that the first Chinese porcelain translations of this form appeared much before 1715 as the East India Company had not established their hong or factory in Canton until that date. The design of the monteith was ideally suited to the cooling of wine glasses or bottles; the bottle necks or glass stems resting securely within the recesses of the shaped rim while the deep base was filled with chilled water. Given the unusually large size of the current example, it was most likely used for bottles only. The medium of porcelain would have been ideal as well; porcelain is impermeable and retains either heat or cold for a relatively long time. Furthermore, the technical skill required to achieve a piece of this form and size was quite simply unknown in the West at the time. The combination of this distinctive European form with exotic Eastern flowers and leaping carp would have been highly desirable as the ideal cross-cultural expression.

A distinctive form in Chinese export porcelain, monteiths are rarely on the market.  Two montieths of similar form and decoration were sold as a pair in our London rooms 13th June 2005, lot 233 and a famille-rose example was sold also in our London rooms 7th November 2007, lot 350.