A FINE AND RARE 'CLAIR-DE-LUNE' GLAZED VASE, HU MARK AND PERIOD OF KANGXI

the pear-shaped body rising from a short straight foot to a tall slightly tapering neck with everted rim, covered overall with a soft pale blue glaze thinning to white at the rim, the base glazed white with an underglaze blue six-character mark

Scattered kiln grits are found at the rim, with a tiny patch of dirt probably removed, revealing the white core. Apart from some glaze cracks with the longest measuring 1.3 cm near the bottom of the vase, the overall condition is good. The brilliant soft-blue glaze is evenly applied except for a 1 cm area on the lower part of the body. There are also some minor nicks to the foot. The actual colour is slightly brighter than the catalogue illustration.
"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."

Vessels of this elegant form and glaze colour, known as tian lan ('sky blue'), are rare; see a closely related example of slightly larger proportions in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 88. Compare also a slightly larger clair-de-lune glazed vase of similar form, but with a longer neck and more compressed body, in the Baur Collection, illustrated in John Ayers, Chinese Ceramics in the Baur Collection, vol. 2, Geneva, 1999, pl. 177; and another from the collection of David A. Berg, sold at Christie's New York, 21^st September 2000, lot 373, and again in these rooms, 11^th April 2008, lot 2992.

For the Song prototype of this shape compare a celadon vase in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, published in Oriental Ceramics. The World's Great Collections, vol. 12, Tokyo, 1977, pl. 52.