- 3006
A FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE COPPER-RED DECORATED DOUBLE-GOURD VASE SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG
Estimate
15,000,000 - 20,000,000 HKD
bidding is closed
Description
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.
well potted of double-gourd form with a globular lower bulb supported on a short splayed foot and a pear-shaped upper bulb sweeping up to a gently flared mouthrim, skilfully decorated in underglaze copper-red pigment transmuting in areas to green, all pencilled in lines with fine stippling and superbly fired, the lower body with four roundels of confronting chilong writhing in pairs, their meandering bodies with mottled skin and bifid trailing tails, their claws grasping scrolling lingzhi stalks growing in circle to form a medallion, each wreathed and interspersed by further shaped panels of formal ruyi sprays, between a collar of pendent overlapping ruyi draping the shoulder and a border of petal lappets above a 'classic' scroll skirting the foot, the waist cinched with a key-fret belt, the upper bulb similarly decorated with four roundels formed by chilong clutching lingzhi scrolls among sprays of ruyi, between petal lappets around the base and overlapping ruyi encircling the mouthrim, the recessed base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character seal mark
well potted of double-gourd form with a globular lower bulb supported on a short splayed foot and a pear-shaped upper bulb sweeping up to a gently flared mouthrim, skilfully decorated in underglaze copper-red pigment transmuting in areas to green, all pencilled in lines with fine stippling and superbly fired, the lower body with four roundels of confronting chilong writhing in pairs, their meandering bodies with mottled skin and bifid trailing tails, their claws grasping scrolling lingzhi stalks growing in circle to form a medallion, each wreathed and interspersed by further shaped panels of formal ruyi sprays, between a collar of pendent overlapping ruyi draping the shoulder and a border of petal lappets above a 'classic' scroll skirting the foot, the waist cinched with a key-fret belt, the upper bulb similarly decorated with four roundels formed by chilong clutching lingzhi scrolls among sprays of ruyi, between petal lappets around the base and overlapping ruyi encircling the mouthrim, the recessed base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character seal mark
Provenance
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 29th November 1976, lot 499.
Condition
The vase is overall in very good condition. The copper-red tone is fired evenly throughout.
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
It is rare to find porcelains of the Qianlong period painted entirely in copper-red enamel and the present piece is even more unusual for its auspicious double-gourd form and for the attractive chi dragon roundel design on the main body. Only a few similar examples are known; such as the pair on display in the Suianshi (Room of Finding Peace) in the Yangxindian (Hall of Cultivating Mind) in the Forbidden City, Beijing, where the emperor is said to have rested during fasting period, illustrated in situ in Qingdai gongting shenghuo/Life in the Forbidden City, Hong Kong, 1985, pl. 177. Another closely related piece was sold at Christie’s 28th July 1975, lot 213. A further vase of this form and decoration, but of slightly smaller dimensions and resting on a straight foot was sold in these rooms, 15th May 1990, lot 193, and is illustrated in Sotheby’s Hong Kong Twenty Years: 1973-1993, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 197.
Qianlong mark and period double-gourd form vases painted with dragons amongst clouds in copper-red enamel are another version of this type. See one from the collection of T.Y. Chao included in the exhibition Ming and Ch’ing Porcelain from the Collection of the T.Y. Chao Family Foundation, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1978, cat. no. 781, and sold in these rooms, 17th November 1975, lot 222, and 18th November 1986, lot 71. Another was sold in our London rooms, 20th June 2001, lot 23, and again in these rooms, 9th October 2007, lot 1216.
Vases of this form can also be found painted with a continuous lotus scroll motif, such as the piece from the collections of Julius David Ichenhausern (1858-1910), New York, and Sir William Cornelius Van Horne (1843-1915), sold at Christie’s New York, 16th September 2011, lot 1564; and another Qianlong vase from the Daae collection included in the exhibition Daae Samlingen, Kunstindustrimuseet, Oslo, 1989, p. 37.
Underglaze red decoration, much favoured during the early Ming dynasty but virtually abandoned after the Xuande period (r. 1426-1435) due to the very high failure rate during firing, was revived and mastered in the early Qing dynasty, around the 1670s of the Kangxi period. It became a standard practice although successful firing of the copper pigment remained particularly difficult hence wares decorated in this manner continued to be made in small quantities.
Qianlong mark and period double-gourd form vases painted with dragons amongst clouds in copper-red enamel are another version of this type. See one from the collection of T.Y. Chao included in the exhibition Ming and Ch’ing Porcelain from the Collection of the T.Y. Chao Family Foundation, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1978, cat. no. 781, and sold in these rooms, 17th November 1975, lot 222, and 18th November 1986, lot 71. Another was sold in our London rooms, 20th June 2001, lot 23, and again in these rooms, 9th October 2007, lot 1216.
Vases of this form can also be found painted with a continuous lotus scroll motif, such as the piece from the collections of Julius David Ichenhausern (1858-1910), New York, and Sir William Cornelius Van Horne (1843-1915), sold at Christie’s New York, 16th September 2011, lot 1564; and another Qianlong vase from the Daae collection included in the exhibition Daae Samlingen, Kunstindustrimuseet, Oslo, 1989, p. 37.
Underglaze red decoration, much favoured during the early Ming dynasty but virtually abandoned after the Xuande period (r. 1426-1435) due to the very high failure rate during firing, was revived and mastered in the early Qing dynasty, around the 1670s of the Kangxi period. It became a standard practice although successful firing of the copper pigment remained particularly difficult hence wares decorated in this manner continued to be made in small quantities.