A RARE CELADON-GLAZED OCTAGONAL JAR AND COVER MARK AND PERIOD OF YONGZHENG

of rectangular cross-section with canted corners, the straight sides curving gently inward towards the short straight neck of conforming shape, the shoulders flanked by a pair of small loop handles, the cover of similar form surmounted by a further loop handle, covered overall with a light celadon glaze thinning at the edges, the underside inscribed with an underglaze blue six-character reign mark

Sotheby's Hong Kong, 27th April 2003, lot 262.

Both handles have been restuck using the original pieces with only some minor glaze losses and no painting covering. Apart from a 1 mm glaze crack to the rim, there are two hairline cracks of 1.8 cm and 1 cm to the mouth and neck of the jar. There are some occasional burst air bubbles and an iron spot near the bottom. The cover also has two firing cracks, including a 0.7 cm one inside the lip and a 0.2 cm one to the unglazed ring. The actual colour is slightly more tinged to blue 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."

Yongzheng jars of this elegant octagonal form are rare and this jar is unusual for its subtle tapering form. A related Yongzheng jar with straight sides is illustrated in Kangxi. Yongzheng.Qianlong. Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989, pl. 274, pl. 103; a pair was sold in these room, 5th November 1996, lot 847, and is now in the Meiyintang Collection, published in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 2010, vol. 4, no. 1805.

Compare a Qianlong mark and period jar of similar form and size but much less finely modelled and handles left not pierced, included in the Special Exhibition of K'ang-hsi, Yung-cheng and Ch'ien-lung Porcelain Ware from the Ch'ing Dynasty in the National Palace Museum, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1986, cat. no. 100.