A BRILLIANTLY ENAMELLED GILT-BRONZE, CLOISONNÉ AND CHAMPLEVÉ ENAMEL 'BIRTHDAY' BOWL QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

heavily cast, the exterior with a cloisonné enamel turquoise-ground frieze decorated with four stylised medallions respectively enclosing the characters wanshou wujiang ('Endless longevity without limit'), the roundels alternating with large lotus blooms, all between yellowish-green champlevé bands of kui dragons with angular scroll bodies and upright petal lappets, the interior, foot and base richly gilded, the base incised with a four-character seal mark reading zisun yongbao ('For eternal protection of sons and grandsons') within a double-square

Collection of David B. Peck II, Chicago. 

The bowl is slightly warped. There are minor areas of infilling. There is general surface wear and minute nicks to the rims. Enamels are very 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."

Notable for its heavy metal body and luminous enamels, bowls of this design appear to have been commissioned especially for the celebration of the Qianlong Emperor’s birthdays. Specifically, according to Palace records, large numbers of bowls and dishes of this type were ordered in 1780, in preparation for his 70th birthday. 

A set of ten bowls of this design, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, was included in the Museum’s exhibition The Imperial Packing Art of the Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2000, cat. no. 99; another bowl in the Palace Museum is illustrated in The Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum, Enamels, vol. 2, Cloisonné in the Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, pl. 282, together with a slightly smaller and a slightly larger example, pls. 281 and 284; and a pair is illustrated in Chinese Cloisonné. The Clague Collection, Phoenix, 1980, pl. 56. 

For an identical example, probably the pair to the current lot, see another bowl from the collection of David B. Peck II, sold at Christie’s New York, 18th September 2014, lot 625.