A VERY RARE CARVED CORAL-RED AND IVORY-WHITE OVERLAY GLASS JAR WHEEL-CUT MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG

THIS IS A PREMIUM LOT.   CLIENTS WHO WISH TO BID ON PREMIUM LOTS ARE REQUESTED TO COMPLETE THE PREMIUM LOT PRE-REGISTRATION 3 WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO THE SALE.




of elegant form with tapered sides rising from a narrow foot to broad rounded shoulders with a raised lip, the shoulders freely carved in the upper layer of opaque coral-red, carved with four shou character roundels divided by large lotus blooms borne on leafy scrolling stems, the central section showing the ivory-white base colour in a plain band of warm buttery tone, the foot with a coral-red border of overlapping upright lappets, the four character mark incised in a circle around the flat base

Acquired in France.

The present jar is unusual for its shape and for the combination of red and ivory white overlay which creates a striking contrasting effect. Although vessels of this type are rare a closely related piece, with the upper overlay of red glass carved with a design of repeating ruyi motifs, from the collection of Alan E. Feen, was included in the exhibition A Chorus of Colors. Chinese Glass from Three American Collections, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, San Francisco, 1995, cat.no. 73. See also a vessel of this shape and similar combination of colours but with the additional overlay of sapphire blue glass around the neck and foot, from the Qing court collection, published in Luster of Autumn Water. Glass of the Qing Imperial Workshop, Beijing, 2005, p. 208, pl. 59, where it is mentioned that the piece is 'characterized by regular shape, pure quality, soft luster and unique decoration, which are typical features of the Qing period'.

A globular jar with this unusual combination of a broad band of plain ivory white glass bordered by carved borders of petals and archaic dragons in red overlay was included in the exhibition The Robert H. Clague Collection. Chinese Glass of the Qing Dynasty, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix , 1987, cat.no. 18, together with an overlay vase, cat.no. 17, with a Qianlong four-character reign mark arranged in a circle. Compare also a Qianlong-marked vase, also of this unusual colour combination, sold in these rooms, 26^th October 1993, lot 354, which may be the vase illustrated in Splendour of Ancient Chinese Art: Selections from the Collections of T.T Tsui Galleries of Chinese Art Worldwide, Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 82 right. Another related vase was sold in these rooms, 1^st November 1999, lot 491.