An exceptional ‘guan’-type archaistic hexagonal vase Seal mark and period of Yongzheng | 清雍正 仿官窰天青釉六方貫耳尊《大清雍正年製》款

A great connoisseur of antique porcelains and with a discerning aesthetic sense for works of art, the Yongzheng Emperor demanded the highest level of craftsmanship in the production of elegant and finely manufactured implements for personal enjoyment. Monochrome vessels required the great skill and precision in every stage of their production, from the purity of the clay and precision of the potting to the evenness of the glaze and control of the firing. The slightest irregularity would result in the rejection and destruction of the piece, thus pushing the craftsmen to the limits of their abilities, particularly in the production of large vessels such as the present. The subtle glaze has been created in imitation of the guan [official] wares of the Song period (960-1279) and reflects the Qing emperors’ penchant for these early wares, which they not only collected but also commissioned the imperial kilns to recreate or imitate as tribute. Even the unglazed foot has been stained with a brown wash to simulate its predecessors.

Yongzheng mark and period vases of this type are extremely rare, possibly due to the sheer difficulty for Jingdezhen craftsmen to successfully fire large vessels in this glaze. Another similar guan-type vase from the Qing court collection and still in Beijing, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 204, and another sold in these rooms, 9th October 2007, lot 1534.

Compare also a smaller celadon-glazed hexagonal vase from Yamanaka & Co. sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 8th October 2014, lot 3601, similar to another related vase, this time covered a crackled guan-type glaze, included in the Grand Exhibition of Ancient Chinese and Corean Works of Art, Yamanaka & Co., Osaka, 1934, cat. no. 608.

The production of such vase continues onto the Qianlong reign when their production appear to be more frequent. See a slightly smaller Ru-type hexagonal vase sold in our New York's room 23rd March 2011, lot 736, and two other related examples, the first sold twice in our Hong Kong rooms, the latest on 3rd October 2017, lot 3638 and another sold 8th October 2014, lot 3508, from the collection of Sakamoto Gorō.

__________________________________________________________________________

雍正好雅慕古，喜愛古董珍瓷，品味出眾，要求藝匠以卓絕造詣製作秀麗佳品以供賞玩。單色釉製作工藝繁複，塑形、施釉及窰燒火候均須一絲不苟，各道工序無數，但見瑕疵，前工盡棄，巧匠須施渾身解數，如本品般體型巨大者尤甚。本作釉色秀雅，仿宋朝（960 – 1279年）官窰，清朝皇帝青睞宋代官窰瓷器，不僅收藏古董珍品，更令工匠巧製仿官窰器朝貢。工匠更於底足露胎處以深褐護胎釉塗之，以傚古瓷特徵。 

與本品相近而帶雍正款之例極為罕見，或因燒製此釉色之大型作例難度極高所致。可比一相類清宮舊藏仿官窰瓷器，現藏於北京，圖見於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集・顏色釉》，香港，1999年，圖版204，另一類例售於蘇富比，2007年10月9日，編號1534。

另比一較小型之粉青釉雙弦紋六方貫耳瓶例，出自山中商會，售於香港蘇富比2014年10月8日，編號3601。尚可可參考一六角細口花瓶，施仿官釉並帶冰裂紋，見《支那朝鮮古美術展觀》，山中商會，大阪，1934年，圖版608。

此類瓶器之製作一直延續至乾隆年間，其時產量更豐。可見一較小型仿汝釉六角瓶，售於紐約蘇富比2011年3月23日，編號736；另比二例，其中一例曾兩度售於香港蘇富比，最近紀錄為2017年10月3日，編號3638；另一例於2014年10月8日售出，編號3508，原屬坂本五郎珍藏。