清康熙 豇豆紅釉太白尊 《大清康熙年製》款

finely potted, of classic domed 'taibo zun' form, the rounded sides contracting to a narrow waisted neck below a short lipped mouthrim, subtly incised around the exterior with three medallions, each formed of the curled bodies of archaistic kui dragons, all beneath a grey-tinged crimson-red glaze characteristically suffused with shades of lighter pink and greenish-beige spots imitating the skin of a ripening peach, the greenish-beige spots concentrating around the neck, the recessed base and interior left white, the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark in three vertical lines

香港蘇富比1994年5月4日，編號86

The overall condition is very good, except for a few underglaze body lines to the mouth, an approximately 0.6 cm. kiln line to the unglazed body of the footring as well as two areas of glaze pulls of approximately 4 and 2.5 cm to the bottom. The actual colour is similar to 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."

Waterpots of this attractive glaze and form are held in important museum and private collections worldwide; see one in the Palace Museum, Beijing, published in Kangxi. Yongzheng. Qianlong. Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989, p. 142 pl. 125; one illustrated in Kangxi Porcelain Wares from the Shanghai Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1998, pl. 206; another in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, included in Suzanne G. Valenstein, A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1989, pl. 234; and a fourth example from the Sir Percival David Collection and now in the British Museum, published in Margaret Medley, Illustrated Catalogue of Ming and Qing Monochrome Wares, London 1989, pl. 580. See also a waterpot of this type from the collection of Edward T. Chow and the British Rail Pension Fund, sold twice in these rooms, 25th November 1980, lot 66, and again 16th May 1989, lot 61; and another from the collections of William B. Jaffe and Evelyn Annenberg Hall, sold in these rooms, 8th April 2013, lot 3069.

 

The Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai (701-762), known as a notorious drinker, is often depicted leaning against a wine jar of this form illustrated in a porcelain sculpture of the same period which shows the poet seated with closed eyes and a cup in hand, published in Kangxi. Yongzheng. Qianlong. Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Collection, op. cit., p. 106, pl. 89. It is also referred to as a qizhao zun because its shape resembles that of a chicken coop. These vessels belong to a group of eight ‘peachbloom’ wares for the scholar’s desk, a complete set of which is illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994-2010, vol. 4, p. 328.