A FINE BLUE AND WHITE 'SANDUO' GARLIC-MOUTH BOTTLE VASE SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF DAOGUANG

the pear-shaped body rising from a spreading foot to a tall waisted neck with a garlic-head mouth and straight lip, painted in bright cobalt-blue tones in the ‘heaped and piled’ effect, the body with alternating flowering and fruiting branches of the sanduo ('The Three Abundances'), pomegranate, finger citron and peach, arranged in two registers, all above a band of upright lappets, the neck encircled by a band of pendent lappets each enclosing double trefoil motifs above a key-fret band and pendent ruyi-heads, the mouth decorated with a floral scroll below a key-fret band at the rim, the foot skirted with a band of waves, inscribed to the base with a six-character seal mark

Estate of Cecil George 'Mickey' Doward (1899-1967), a renowned art dealer in New York and London in the early 20th century.

The overall condition is very good, except for slight polishing to the mouthrim and occasional light 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 elegant design is inspired by a Yongle period (1403-24) motif depicting branches of flowers and fruit which has been cleverly adapted from its original meiping form, particularly evident in the floral sprays decorating the cover of the Yongle original to adorn the bulbous head of the Qing version. A closely related vase is published in Illustrated Catalogue of Tokyo National Museum. Chinese Ceramics II, Tokyo, 1980, pl. 568; one, from the collection of Simon Kwan, was included in the exhibition Imperial Porcelain of Late Qing, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1983, cat. no. 1; and another, from the Edward T. Chow and Yangzhitang Collections, was sold in these rooms, 19th May 1981, lot 459, and again at Christie’s Singapore, 30th March 1997, lot 201.

Vases of this type appear to have been made from the early Qing dynasty onwards: a Yongzheng mark and period vase of this type, was sold in these rooms, 29th November 1978, lot 234; one with a Qianlong mark and of the period, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, is illustrated in Blue and White Ware of the Ch’ing Dynasty, vol. 2, Hong Kong, 1968, pl. 5; another is published in The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection, Hong Kong, 1987, vol. II, pl. 61; and a Jiaqing mark and period vase in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (III), Hong Kong, 2000, pl. 145.