A PAIR OF EXTREMELY RARE FAMILLE-ROSE 'CHICKEN' CUPS MARKS AND PERIOD OF YONGZHENG

THIS IS A PREMIUM LOT. CLIENTS WHO WISH TO BID ON PREMIUM LOTS MAY BE REQUESTED BY SOTHEBY'S TO COMPLETE THE PRE-REGISTRATION APPLICATION FORM AND TO DELIVER TO SOTHEBY'S A DEPOSIT OF HK$2,500,000, OR SUCH OTHER HIGHER AMOUNT AS MAY BE DETERMINED BY SOTHEBY'S, AND ANY FINANCIAL REFERENCES, GUARANTEES AND/OR SUCH OTHER SECURITY AS SOTHEBY'S MAY REQUIRE IN ITS ABSOLUTE DISCRETION AS SECURITY FOR THE BID. THE BIDnow ONLINE BIDDING SERVICE IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR PREMIUM LOTS.

 



each of wide conical form, the almost straight sides rising from a low tapered foot and recessed base, finely painted on the exterior with different scenes of chickens and chicks, and an insect hovering on the back, one cup depicting the cock crowing, with a crouching hen turning her head towards him, while one chick perches on her back and two others stand by her side fighting over a worm, the cock depicted with a pink wattle and comb, a golden neck with delicately detailed plumage, the body with feathers shaded from yellow to pink, the belly dark brown with details incised through the enamel, the back golden, wing feathers outlined in brown, and impressive tail feathers in black and white, the hen also detailed with a pink wattle and comb with brown plumage overall, the feathers finely indicated in a darker brown tone, the chicks coloured yellow, brown and white, the other cup with a similarly coloured cock bending down to eat an insect, while a white hen with feathers finely indicated in brown stands beside him, surrounded by three chicks, one brown with details picked out in gold, one white, and one yellow, the ground indicated on both cups by turquoise dots, the insect enamelled in yellow and brown with details in gold, the bases inscribed with a six-character reign mark in three vertical lines within a double ring in underglaze blue

Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 27th April 2003, lot 187.
Eskenazi Ltd, London.

Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994-2010, vol. 4, no. 1758 and 1759.

Each cup has a very minute chip restored at the rim (approx 4 mm.). One also has a few kiln grits on the interior, but their overall condition is quite good. The actual colours are a little softer, less saturated, compared to 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."

Since its first appearance in the Chenghua period (AD 1465-87), the motif of a cock, hen and chicks enjoyed continuous popularity as a porcelain design, but was rarely interpreted in such a free manner as on the present cups, far from the Ming (AD 1368-1644) original, or in fencai (famille rose) enamels. These two cups, which appear to be unique, are also unusual in being painted with complementary rather than identical designs, showing the cock with different hens. The shape of the cups is characteristic of the late Kangxi (AD 1662-1722) and early Yongzheng (AD 1723-35) reigns. Related cups, differing in form and with the chickens surrounded by flowers, also exist from the Yongzheng period, with the mark similarly inscribed in three vertical columns – a style that often goes along with somewhat unconventional decoration.

Compare a pair of larger bowls of rounded form with related designs, included in the exhibition Ch’ing Polychrome Porcelain, Oriental Ceramic Society of Hong Kong at the Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1977, cat. no. 70. For similar scenes on a contemporary doucai chicken cup, which took its inspiration more directly from Chenghua originals, see the cup of Yongzheng mark and period, also in the Meiyintang collection, in Krahl, op. cit., no. 1745.