Lot 28
  • 28

A HEXAGONAL RU-STYLE TRUNCATED GU-SHAPED VASE YONGZHENG SEAL MARK AND PERIOD

Estimate
40,000 - 60,000 GBP
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Description

  • ceramics + wood box
  • 10.3 cm, 4 in. 
the rounded central section rising from a spreading foot to a wasted neck and everted rim, covered with a pale grey-blue crackled glaze, the base inscribed with a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue, Japanese wood box

Literature

This vase is striking for its refined body which is covered in a luminous greyish-blue glaze, the beauty of which is heightened in its small size. It not only captures the brilliance of celebrated Ru ware of the Song dynasty (960-1279), but also captures the Yongzheng Emperor’s taste for innovative forms based on archaic bronzes. A great connoisseur of antiquities and with a discerning aesthetic sense for works of art, the Yongzheng Emperor was known to have commissioned finely manufactured wares that were marked with a restrained elegance from the first year of his reign. Under the mastermind of Tang Ying (1682-1756), Superintendent of the Imperial kilns in Jingdezhen, many monochrome wares simulating the elegance of Song glazes on both classic and innovative forms were successfully developed. This vase, with its compressed hexagonal form and delicate potting and glazing, displays the high level of technique of potters working at the Imperial kilns in Jingdezhen. The creation of such monochrome wares required absolute precision in every stage of the production in order to create flawless pieces that revealed a deep understanding of the essence of its Song originals. Only one other vase of this shape and size, also covered with ru-type glaze, is known, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Gugong bowuyuan cang. Qingdai yuyao ciqi. vol. 1, pt. II, Beijing, 2005, pl. 146. For a Song dynasty prototype to the vase, see one from the Qing Court collection and now in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the Museum’s exhibition Precious as the Morning Star: 12th-14th Century Celadons in the Qing Court Collection, 2016, cat. no. II-6.

Condition

The vase is in good condition with the exception of a tiny area of overpainting (approx. 0.5 cm) to the inside edge of the foot, possibly concealing a minor glaze flake.  There are some minor glaze firing imperfections including glaze firing lines above and below the central swelling section, burst bubbles and frits to the lower edges of the neck and foot, four short glaze firing lines to the inner edges of the neck and a burst glaze bubble on the edge of the foot. The glaze has an overall light crackle.
"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."