Our signature live auction Important Chinese Art features a diverse assemblage of rare and exceptional Chinese porcelains, early ceramics, jades, and other works of art from distinguished private collections. Leading the sale will be a superb and rare turquoise-ground famille-rose and gilt-decorated vase, seal mark and period of Qianlong. Other highlights include a group of remarkable Ming dynasty blue and white porcelains from the collection of Albert Y.P. and Sara K.S. Lee, an extremely rare ‘Guan’ hexafoil tripod censer, a superbly carved Qianlong period white jade ‘dragon’ vase, a rare and important Liao dynasty gilt-silver filigree 'phoenix' crown, a selection of Chinese paintings from the collection of Chou Wen-Chung, and more Ming and Qing porcelains as well as early ceramics from Japanese private collections.
Meticulously painted with confronted chilong amidst a turquoise-blue ground, this vase demonstrates the playful emulations that were the result of technical mastery and experimentation at the Imperial workshops during the Qianlong period. The vase belongs to a group of vessels commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1736-1795) in imitation of cloisonné enamel. The Qianlong Emperor was particularly fond of cloisonné enamel work, which he revived on a grand scale after a period of disregard under the Yongzheng Emperor.
