A FAMILLE-ROSE 'MAGPIE AND PRUNUS' GARLIC-MOUTH VASE YONGQING CHANGCHUN MARK, QING DYNASTY, GUANGXU PERIOD

well potted with a pear-shaped body sweeping up from a gently splayed foot to a tall waisted neck and garlic-bulb shaped mouth, the exterior finely enamelled in shaded pastel tones of the famille-rose palette with a magpie perched on a long gnarled branch extending across the exterior of the vessel and bearing leaves and prunus blossoms and buds, the scene further picked out with floral and foliate clusters, the base inscribed with an iron-red four-character mark reading yongqing changchun ('eternal prosperity, enduring spring')

The vase is in overall good condition, except for some slight fritting and a tiny flake of approx. 0.2 cm with an associated shallow firing lines to the mouthrim. There are some original crackles and bubbles as well as minor expected wear to the enamels, but they otherwise generally well preserved.
"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."

See a garlic-mouth vase with similar decoration and iron-red mark but of much larger size (height 36.5 cm), dated to the Guangxu period, from the Qing Court collection and still preserved in Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Porcelains with Cloisonné Enamel Decoration and Famille-rose Decoration, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 240.