A RARE GUAN-TYPE VASE, HU QIANLONG SEAL MARK AND PERIOD

of archaistic hu form, the ovoid body tapering to a waisted flared neck, set to either side with a lion-head-form loop handle at the shoulder, applied overall in a thick pale bluish-gray glaze suffused with a bold network of steel gray and pale gold crackles stopping at the unglazed footring dressed in a dark brown wash in imitation of Song dynasty guan ware, a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue

Yamanaka & Company, New York, 1943.
Henry Dourif (1881-1967) Huntington, West Virginia and thence by descent.

Yamanaka & Company, Collection of Chinese and Other Far Eastern Art, (in liquidation under the supervision of the Alien Property Custodian of the U.S), New York, 1943, cat. no. 1237.

The vase is in good condition. There are small areas of very pale iron staining just above the base and a burst glaze bubble at the mid-section. There is very light expected wear at the rim and the foot ring with some small shallow chips.
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.

The crisply molded lion-form loop handles on the present piece are striking and appear to be a unique feature varying from the usual shallow applied lion-mask handles with pendent rings or the rarer elephant-head loop handles. The bold feature is a charming 18th century innovation on a vase that in both form and glaze references two well-known early accomplishments of Chinese art: the iconic hu form derived from the great bronzes of the Shang dynasty and the rich crackled glaze of the famed Guan wares of the Southern Song dynasty. The official or Guan ware was produced for the court in the capital, Hangzhou in Zhejiang province. Laohudong in southern Hangzhou appears to have been the most important Guan kiln creating wares with an attractive crackled glaze, a version of which is seen on the present piece. The crackle was purposefully made utilizing refined technical skill to calibrate a cooling rate for the wares that would produce the different layers of fissures and allow them to be filled with two to three different colors. The present piece with its two tones references the jinsi tiexian (gold thread and iron wire).

Such a pointed allusion to the past served to both pay homage to the past while simultaneously noting the technical achievements of the present. Archaism enjoyed a major revival during the height of the Qing dynasty under the Yongzheng and Qianlong emperors. The combination of a precious glaze and ancient form suggests a deep appreciation and respect for the past, together with the want for its preservation.

Henri Dourif, co-founder of Standard Ultramarine and Color Company in Huntington, West Virginia, was born in France on April 15, 1881.  He 
graduated from École Centrale in 1904 with the degree of Ingénieur des Arts et Manufactures and then took military training at Nimes.  In 1906 he began his industrial career as an engineer with Deschamps Frères, a French company that produced the ultramarine blue pigment.  During World War I he was a pilot, promoted to Captain and later awarded the prestigious Croix de Guerre. After the war he returned to the United States and the Standard Ultramarine and Color Company where his talent and dedication helped expand the business earning it a strong international reputation and supplying its products all around the world.