Two decorative Chinese porcelain vases Kangxi period

of slightly different size and painted in blue on white-coloured ground, with flowering bushes within tile-shaped reserves, mounted at a later date with necks of giltwood in Louis XVI style, inserted with small porcelain lids and fitted with petroleum lamp inserts

Before 1827 - Russian Imperial Court
Given as a present to Admiral Lodewijk Sigismund Gustaaf Empire Count Van Heiden, Lord van Ravenstein (called Login Petrovich Geiben), (1773-1850) after the Battle of Navarino in 1827
Thence by descent to Count Frederick Maurice van Heyden (1821-1900), General-Governor of Finland and General in the Imperial Russian Army
Thence by inheritance to the present owner

Overall in reasonably good condition. Both vases with some minor glaze wear and surface scratching. The smaller vase with minor frits to the footrim, one minor shallow chip of circa 1,5 cm. long to the footrim. The taller vase apparently lacking section of neck, which is concealed by the wood mount and with starcrack to the lower sholder. A large crack running all through the underside, related smaller side cracks, one crack running up from the footrim into the body of the vase. The giltwood mounts with restorations and small losses to the carvings, partly re-gilt. four guirlandes lacking. Brass lamp-mounts of later date.
"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."

Lodewijk Sigismund Gustaaf Empire Count Van Heiden, Lord van Reinestein (Login Petrovich Geiden born Zuidlaren, The Netherlands, 9 September 1773-died Reval (Talinn), 5 October 1850) was born in Zuidlaren, in the north east of the Netherlands as the second son to Sigismund Pieter Alexander, Empire Count van Heiden, Lord of Reinestein and Laarwoud, Drost of Drenthe and Marie Frederique Baroness Van Reede van Amerongen-Athlon. At the age of nine he joined the Dutch Navy, where he was promoted Lieutenant-at-sea at sixteen. During his six years of active duty, Empire Count van Heiden made several journeys to the Dutch overseas territories and always remained a faithful Orangeist and accompanied Stadtholder William V on his flight from Scheveningen to England.
During the French occupation in 1795 he left The Netherlands and settled in Livonia. There he offered the Russian Emperor his services and was appointed Captain-Lieutenant in the Russian Imperial Navy at only twenty-two. In 1826 he was given command of the Russian fleet in the Mediterranean (with Mikhail Lazarev as deputy).
On 27 October 1827 he was the commander of the Russian squadron in the Battle of Navarino against the Turks during the Greek War of Independence - one of the most important sea battles in history, which ended with the defeat of the Turko-Egyptian fleet and the destruction of the feared artillery at the fortress of Navarino. The victory meant promotion for Empire Count van Heiden and his international prestige grew: the Greeks considered him their redeemer from the Turks and lovingly called him BéBé (i.e. Father).
At the height of his fame, respected everywhere and by everyone, decorated with numerous European medals, he was summoned by the Czar to become military Governor of Kronstadt (on the Island of Kotlin in the Gulf of Finland between Estonia and Saint Petersburg) and Reval (Tallinn, then and now capital of Estonia). The population loved him and, as the Greeks did, called him Bebu (i.e. Father).
In 1832 he returned to the Netherlands for the last time. He was welcomed by the monarch, King William I who lent him an armoured steamship to visit several important cities, as well as his home town, Zuidlaren. He left for the New World, but was disappointed and eventually returned to Tallinn. He died in 1850, 77 years old in Tallinn, where he was buried.
The nick-name BéBé/ Bebu was occasion to a still known and popular Dutch children's song ('Berend Botje'):

Berend Botje ging uit varen
Met zijn scheepje naar Zuidlaren
De weg was recht, de weg was krom
Nooit kwam Berend Botje weerom
Een, twee, drie, vier, vijf, zes, zeven
Waar is Berend Botje gebleven?
Hij is niet hier, hij is niet daar
Hij is naar Amerika.