Page 13 - Sotheby's Imperial Chiense Porcelain Nov 4 2020 London

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A RARE SMALL FLAMBE-GLAZED MOONFLASK 清乾隆 窰變釉雙耳抱月瓶
QIANLONG INCISED SEAL MARK AND PERIOD
《大清乾隆年製》款
elegantly potted with a gently flattened spherical body
surmounted by a slender cylindrical neck flanked by a pair of 來源
ruyi handles, covered overall with a brilliant rich purple glaze
with milky-blue and lavender streaks, the base glazed brown 胡惠春（1911-1995年）收藏
and incised with a four-character seal mark 紐約蘇富比1996年3月26日，編號188
Height 15.3 cm, 6 in.
出版
PROVENANCE Helen D. Ling 及仇炎之，《暫得樓珍藏歷代
Collection of J.M. Hu (1911-1995). 名瓷影譜》，卷4，香港，1950年，圖版192
Sotheby’s New York, 26th March 1996, lot 188.
LITERATURE
Helen D. Ling and E.T. Chow, Collection of Chinese Ceramics
from the Pavilion of Ephemeral Attainment, Hong Kong, 1950,
vol. IV, pl. 192.
‡ £ 80,000-120,000

Inspired by early Ming dynasty (1368-1644) flasks, this British Museum, London, is illustrated in Soame Jenyns,
piece is covered in a brilliant streaky glaze with attractive Later Chinese Porcelain. The Ch’ing Dynasty, London,
variegated hues of purple, crimson and milky blue. The 1951, pl. C, no. 1.
striking flambé glaze was first developed at the imperial The flattened form and compressed garlic mouth of
kilns in Jingdezhen during the preceding Yongzheng this flask appears to have been inspired by a rare type
reign (r. 1723-1735), and was the result of experiments at of porcelain flasks made in the Yongle period (r. 1403-
reproducing the fabled Jun glazes of the Song dynasty 1424), which was itself modelled after Middle-Eastern
(960-1279). By 1735, nine varieties of Jun-type glazes metal prototypes. The design was revived in the Qianlong
were being used at Jingdezhen, and 18th century period, although examples are seldom found covered in
scholars and connoisseurs considered the present type monochrome glazes. A Qianlong mark and period flask
to even surpass the original.
of this form and proportions, but painted in famille-rose
Flasks of this form and glaze are very rare and no other enamels with flowers against a pink sgraffiato ground,
closely related example appears to have been published, from the collection of Alfred Morrison, was sold in
although a slightly smaller flambé flask of similar form, Christie’s Hong Kong, 29th May 2007, lot 1376.
but with a straight neck and lacking the reign mark, in the

mark

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