A RARE GUAN-TYPE VASE QING DYNASTY, YONGZHENG PERIOD

the hemispherical body rising from a spreading foot to a waisted neck flaring gently at the rim, flanked by a pair of ringed taotie mask handles, the neck moulded with two raised fillets, covered overall with a greyish blue glaze suffused with a network of faint russet crackle, the base left unglazed revealing the dark brown body

There is a 3cm by 1.3cm restored chip below the rim to the exterior. It is likely that there was a mark to the base and that this and the glaze has been ground down. There are some small chips to the glaze to the lower section of the body along the horizontal crack lines.
"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."

The present vase is an extremely rare example of vessels of this unusual but distinct form with only four other closely related pieces known, all in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included on the Museum’s official website. The four vases in Taipei are of the same shape and size as the present piece, with similar moulded handles on the main body but covered in a Ru-type glaze. They also each bear a six-character Yongzheng reign mark in seal script on the base. The form is unique to the Yongzheng period and reflects the remarkable development in artistic creativity and enamelling technique created to meet the specific predilections of the Yongzheng emperor, among which imitation of the antique and innovation featured prominently.  From the first year of his reign, Yongzheng commissioned items that were simple in form and generally left plain to highlight shape and glaze over any decoration. This became the stylistic trend throughout his rule at the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, where Tang Ying (1682-1756) acted as Superintendent. Under Tang, research into the celebrated Song imperial glazes such as Guan, Ge and Ru saw an emergence, and monochrome porcelain covered in luminous pale glazes simulating Song examples were designed on contemporary and unique forms as may be seen from the present vase.

A line drawing of this form is included among Yongzheng shapes in Geng Baochang, Ming Qing ciqi jianding, Hong Kong, 1993, p. 236, fig. 403:4, where it is called shouer zun or ‘beast ear zun form vessel’, referring to the kind of animals used in ritual offerings. In form, this vase is an amalgamation of earthenware and bronze vessels of the Han dynasty. See a Han bronze vessel illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Bronze Articles for Daily Use, Hong Kong, 2006, pl. 54, with ring handles; and another archaic bronze piece of the Western Han period, excavated from the tomb of the King of Nanyue, published in Zhongguo qingtongqi quanji, vol. 12, Beijing, 1998, pl. 60. Two earthenware vessel of compressed zun shape, attributed to the Western Han period, are is included in Zhongguo taoci quanji, vol. 3, Shanghai, 2000, pls. 29 and 30, the former in the Shaanxi Historical Museum, and the latter in the Henan Provincial Museum.