A Louis XIV ormolu-mounted Imari porcelain baluster covered vase the porcelain 17th century, the ormolu mounts circa 1710 and 1740

the domed lid formed of the upper part of the vase with a saucer above, surrounded by a gadrooned ormolu border centered by a berried foliate finial and a plate incised with strapwork, the tapered body decorated with slender paper-scroll reserves painted in the famille verte palette depicting animals, figures, peonies, prunus and bamboo on a white ground, all on a dark blue ground overlaid with gilt flowers, leaves and scrollwork; the lower part fitted with an ormolu spigot and backplate cast with dolphins, the base with a gadrooned border centered by a cartouche-shaped escutcheon and raised on flat splayed supports cast with scrolls and a female mask; now raised on an associated ormolu base; the sides fitted with ormolu handles cast with bullrushes of slightly later date, circa 1740.  With lead liner.

Collection of Lucien Delplace, Brussels

Anonymous sale, Christie's, New York, May 9, 1985, lot 48

Illustrated, Lunsingh Scheurleer, Chinesisches und japanisches Porzellan in europäischen Fassungen, Braunschweig, 1980, p. 416, pl. 468.

Nearly identical porcelain vases, variously mounted in ormolu have been recorded:  a pair with Louis XVI ormolu mounts reputedly having belonged to Machault d'Arnouville and later in the collection of the Comte de la Panouse, Château de Thoiry, was sold, Sotheby's, New York, December 10, 1994, lot 264.  A second pair, also with Louis XVI ormolu mounts, was sold from the collection of Houphouet Boigny, Sotheby's, New York, November 19, 1993, lot 20.   A third pair with ormolu mounts attributed to Benjamin Vulliamy, formerly in the collection of Mr. & Mrs. Saul P. Steinberg was sold, Sotheby's, New York, May 26, 2000, lot 132. 

A Chinese Wucai porcelain vase with identical supports cast with masks and identical cartouche attached to the base,  was sold from the collection of André Meyer, Christie's, New York, October 26, 2001, lot 4.  Another Chinese famille verte porcelain vase, fitted with identical Louis XIV ormolu spigot, backplate and berried finial, raised on dolphin-shaped supports was in the collection of M. and Mme. H. Foster, sold, Sotheby's, Monaco, December 9, 1984, lot 1031.  It is of further interest to note a drawing of a large covered vase which was in the celebrated sale of the Hamilton Palace collections held in 1882 (lot 446).  The drawing depicts an identical finial on the lid and an identical cartouche-shaped escutcheon on the lower border.  This would suggest that these vases were very probably mounted by the same Parisian bronzier.