A FINE BLUE AND WHITE 'PEACH' MOONFLASK SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG

the flattened circular body rising from a short spreading foot to a tall trumpet neck flanked by a pair of ruyi handles, the exterior moulded in low relief on both sides with a peach-shaped panel painted in rich cobalt-blue tones with bats soaring around fruiting leafy sprays bearing clusters of ripe peaches, the panels surrounded by a leafy floral scroll ground and similarly decorated to the sides and neck, the rectangular foot with a classic scroll band, the base inscribed with a six-character seal mark

The overall condition is very good, except for some minor fritting to the handles, a burst air bubble to the side, and occasional surface scratches.
"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."

This moonflask has been finely executed to imitate the celebrated wares of the early 15th century through both its form and the use of the ‘heaped and piled’ technique to render the design. Qing craftsmen skilfully manipulated the cobalt pigment to simulate the uneven blue tones of early Ming underglaze blue designs. Its flattened globular form, tall and gently waisted neck, and two handles were also adapted from early Ming prototypes, such as a moonflask attributed to the Yongle reign (1403-24), painted with flower sprays, from the former collection of the Ottoman Sultans and now in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, vol. 2, London, 1986, pl. 613.

Qianlong mark and period moonflasks of this type are held in important museum and private collections worldwide; see one in the Nanjing Museum, published in The Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2004, cat. no. 220; another in the Indianapolis Museum of Art, included in the Museum’s exhibition Beauty and Tranquillity. The Eli Lilly Collection of Chinese Art, Indianapolis, 1983, cat. no. 116; and a third included in the exhibition Ch’ing Porcelain from the Wah Kwong Collection, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1973, cat. no. 66. Further examples include one from the collection of R.I.C. Herridge, sold in these rooms, 29th November 1978, lot 235.

The design of peaches and bats, with its highly auspicious message, appears to have originated in the Yongzheng reign (1722-35) and grew in popularity during the Qianlong period, when it was represented in all possible media. The bat (fu) and peach (shoutao) create the pun fushou shuangquan (‘May you have both blessings and longevity’), which makes this piece particularly suited to be presented as a gift on the occasion of a birthday.