清嘉慶 綠地粉彩「福壽連綿」圖長頸撇口瓶一對 《大清嘉慶年製》款

each with a globular body rising from a spreading foot to a tall waisted neck, brightly enamelled against a lime-green ground with pairs of confronting butterflies, bats, peaches and endless knots interspersed amongst lotus blooms borne on meandering foliate sprays, all above a lappet band, the rim and foot encircled with ruyi and key-fret bands, enamelled turquoise to the interior and base, the base inscribed in iron red with a six-character seal mark

One vase has a three branch starcrack (1.5 cm, 1 cm and 2 cm long) to the base that runs partialy through the mark. There is some rubbing to the gilding at the rim of each and some small dark pitting to the turquoise glaze to the interior neck of each. General surface wear and minor enamel losses. Please note that both vases are affixed with old provenance labels to the base (Nixon & Rhodes, 390 Oxford Street, London W1). The actual colour is brighter than the catalogue illustration.
"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."

本品製作精良，畫工細膩，在所有嘉慶朝瓷器中，可與一小批器型規矩、紋飾考究的精瓷同歸一類。從其通身纏枝花卉及富祥瑞寓意之紋飾來看，此對賞瓶應為結縭之禮而燒造的。兩蝶相迎而對，共效於飛，蝠寓福迭而至，結寓永結同心，桃意長壽廷年。 Gunhild Avitabile曾在其書中提出此類紋飾組合有「福疊連綿」之寓意，見 Gunhild Avitabile，《From the Dragon's Treasure》展覽圖錄，Museum fur Kunsthandwerk，柏林，1987年，頁33。

George Weishaupt 收藏有一作例，同上註，圖版23，此瓶曾先後三度售於蘇富比，首先在阿姆斯特丹蘇富比1995年10月16日，編號28，繼而在香港蘇富比1996年4月30日，編號509，最後在倫敦蘇富比2010年11月10日，編號120。另可參考一件形制相同的作例，同署嘉慶年款，綠地飾粉彩纏枝蓮紋，售於紐約蘇富比1982年6月4日，編號280。

嘉慶年製及署款之賞瓶當中，還有一種尺寸略小，帶如意耳，綠地繪纏枝花卉紋飾的存世品。可參考兩件作例同售於香港蘇富比，分別為1983年5月12日，編號232及1998年11月2日，編號321。

相類祥瑞紋飾可見於嘉慶綠地粉彩罐。香港蘇富比於1979年5月22日曾出售一罐例，編號271。清宮舊藏另有一松石綠地扁壺作例，環飾蝙蝠壽桃紋，現仍寶蓄北京，錄於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集．琺瑯彩及粉彩》，香港，1999年，圖版174。

關於此類紋飾的靈感來源，可參考一乾隆年製的金地粉彩蝙蝠壽桃花卉紋蓋盃，錄於《宮廷珍藏：中國清代官窰瓷器》，上海，2003年，頁263。