A RARE CLOISONNE ENAMEL FIGURE OF A QILIN QIANLONG MARK AND PERIOD

the animal recumbent with tail curled alongside its haunches, the head well-cast with a single gilt horn, slightly raised and turned characteristically over the back, presumably to gaze at the moon, elaborately caparisoned and bearing a turquoise ground baluster vase on its back, its body brightly enameled in sage-green accentuated with gilt 'fur' and florets, the forehead with a gilt-bronze rectangle bearing a four-character Qianlong mark

Christie's Hong Kong, 28th April 1996, lot 19.

There is a chip and enamel flaking above one eye. The figure with several small nicks and small enamel losses to the legs and tail. There is some wear to the gilt and enamels as expected. The vase has some restoration to the enamel around the widest part. The candleholder and saddle cloth is now fixed (glued) to the body and appears to be slightly ill-fitting.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Cloisonné enamel work of the Qianlong period is renowned for its high quality and among the work produced in the imperial workshop, figures are exceedingly rare. In contrast to earlier, Kangxi and Yongzheng period cloisonné, pieces made for the Qianlong emperor and his court are known to bear the emperor's four-character reign mark, as seen on this figure.

Examples of Qianlong cloisonné enamel animal-form vessels from the Qing Court collection and retained in the Palace Museum, Beijing, include the following which are illustrated in  The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Metal-bodied Enamel Ware, Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 119; a mythical beast figure, pl. 120, a tapir-form zun, pl. 121, an ox-shaped wine vessel, and  pl. 122, a cock-form container. Compare also a figure of a ram now in the National Palace Museum, Taiwan bearing a turquoise-ground zun on its back and also with a four character Qianlong mark, illustrated in Enamel Ware in the Ming and Ch'ing Dynasty, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1999, no. 43. A waterpot in the form of a recumbent tiger dated to the 18th century is illustrated in Helmut Brinker and Albert Lutz, Chinese Cloisonné, The Pierre Uldry Collection, Asia Society, New York, 1985, no. 326.

Very few examples of Qianlong imperial cloisonné figures have appeared on the market. A figure of a crouching tiger sold at Christie's London, 5th December 1994 and again at Sotheby's London, 9th November 2011, lot 400. A pair of recumbent mythical beasts sold in these rooms, 23rd March 204, lot 547.