AN INSCRIBED FAMILLE-ROSE 'FLOWER' BRUSHPOT QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

of hexagonal section, supported on three small feet, rising to a straight mouth, the sides painted with flowering and leafy branches of peony, narcissus and chrysanthemum, alternating with imperial poems in regular, clerical and seal scripts followed by red seals Qian and Long, each poem or flower painting enclosed within a slightly recessed rectangular panel, surrounded by multicolour blossoms borne on scrolling leafy sprays, all reserved on a white ground extending to the underside, the interior glazed turquoise and the mouthrim highlighted in gilt

Christie's Hong Kong, 2^nd October 1991, lot 1711.

There are two hairline cracks of 7.7 and 5.5 cm to the joints of the walls. There are traces of varnishing near the long hairline, probably to stabilise the gilding and enamels. There are some minor wear and losses to the enamelling and the gilding, but most of the original painting has been 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."

A slightly larger brushpot of this form, decorated with alternating rectangular panels of sages in landscapes and short inscriptions between floral borders, was sold in our London rooms, 17^th November 1970, lot 170.

Porcelains with shaped panels resembling windows decorated with floral or figural scenes are typical of the Qianlong period, although the style appears to have been first explored during the Yongzheng period. Compare a brushpot of rectangular section in the Palace Museum, Beijing, enamelled in grisaille on two sides with scholars in a mountainous landscape and with two famille-rose panels of flower sprays painted in the 'boneless' style, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Porcelains with Cloisonné Enamel Decoration and Famille Rose Decoration, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 53.