Page 7 - Sotheby's Imperial Chiense Porcelain Nov 4 2020 London

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A RARE CELADON-GLAZED DOUBLE-GOURD 清乾隆 粉青釉綬帶耳葫蘆尊
VASE 《大清乾隆年製》款
QIANLONG SEAL MARK AND PERIOD
well potted with a globular lower bulb rising from a short
splayed foot to a slender waisted neck and a small bulbous
upper bulb tapering to a narrow mouthrim, flanked by a pair
of undulating strap handles extending from the upper bulb
and terminating with a pair of ruyi heads on the shoulder,
divided by two lappet borders radiating from the raised
rib around the waisted neck, covered overall save for the
unglazed footring with a translucent pale celadon glaze, the
base inscribed with a six-character seal mark in underglaze
blue
Height 20.1 cm, 7⅞ in.
‡ £ 80,000-120,000

Covered in a cool and translucent celadon glaze, this Qianlong mark and period vases of this form and celadon
elegant vase belongs to an exquisite group of gourd- glaze are unusual, although a very similar vase, carved
shaped vases with sweeping bulbs, elegant curved with a lotus scroll on the bulbs, from the Umezawa
handles and thin chrysanthemum petals gathered at Kinekan, Tokyo, was included in in the exhibition Shinsho
the waist. Vases of this form were first created in the toji [Porcelains from the Qing dynasty], MOA Art
Yongzheng period (r. 1723-1735), but became more Museum, Atami, 1984, cat. no. 15; and another was sold
popular in the Qianlong reign, when examples were twice in our Hong Kong rooms, 2nd May 2000, lot 573,
made that were covered in various monochrome glazes and 5th October 2016, lot 3609.
or painted in underglaze blue and white designs. The The form of this vase is also known covered overall in
elegant form was likely created when the talented Tang a teadust glaze, such as a vase decorated in silver and
Ying (1682-1756) was supervisor of the imperial kilns gold with gourds and bats, from the collections of Alfred
in Jingdezhen. Tang Ying’s first-hand knowledge of the E. Hippisley and J.M. Hu, sold most recently in our Hong
imperial collection and his technical know-how allowed Kong rooms, 6th April 2016, lot 3608; a slightly larger
him to direct craftsmen to fine-tune shapes to perfect undecorated example in the National Palace Museum,
proportions and develop a range of new striking celadon Taipei, illustrated in Kokyū Shin shi zuroku/Illustrated
hues. The wares made during his tenure at Jingdezhen Catalogue of Ch’ing Dynasty Porcelain in the National
are exquisitely crafted and endowed with a sense of Palace Museum, Republic of China. Ch’ien-lung Ware
effortless elegance, as this piece.
and Other Wares, Tokyo, 1981, pl. 80; and another in the
Nanjing Museum, included in the exhibitions The Official
Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai
Museum, Shanghai, 2003, pl. 70.

mark
10 Buyers are liable to pay both the hammer price (as estimated above) and the buyer’s premium together with any applicable taxes and Artist’s Resale Right (which will depend on the individual circumstances). 11
Refer to the Buying at Auction and VAT sections at the back of this catalogue for further information.