Page 70 - Sotheby's London Important Chinese Art Nov. 2019

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A PAIR OF BLUE AND WHITE ‘DRAGON’ another in the Nanjing Museum, is illustrated in The Official
DOUBLE-GOURD VASES Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai,
QIANLONG SEAL MARKS AND PERIOD 2003, pl. 277; a pair in the Huaihaitang collection, was
included in the exhibition Ethereal Elegance. Porcelain
each supported on a slightly flared foot rising to a Vases of the Imperial Qing, Art Museum, Institute of
flattened globular lower body tapering to a narrow Chinese Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong,
waist, surmounted by the upper bulb with tapered neck Hong Kong, 2007, cat. no. 107; and a further vase was sold
and flanked by a pair of arched handles, decorated to these rooms, 7th November 2012, lot 500.
each face with a central shou roundel between a pair of Vases of this form are also known decorated in other
confronted dragons detailed with long sinuous bodies palettes; a blue-glazed vase with a combination of
with elaborate streaming scrolls, the upper bulb centred auspicious design elements in gilt, in the National Palace
with a stylised bat medallion, the base inscribed with a Museum, Taipei, was included in the Museum’s Special
six-character seal mark in underglaze blue
(2) Exhibition of K’ang-hsi, Yung-cheng an Ch’ien-lung
Height 17.6 and 17.6 cm, 6⅞ and 6⅞ in. Porcelain Ware from the Ch’ing Dynasty in the National
Palace Museum, Taipei, 1986, cat. no. 78; and a pair of
The elegant double-gourd form and dynamic design of yellow-ground vases with a shou character surrounded by
these two vases is filled with auspicious symbolism. On bats, from the collection of Mrs Christian R. Holmes, was
each side, two sinuous dragons frame a stylised shou sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 9th October 2012, lot 3024.
(longevity) character, below a bat facing upwards and
ruyi-shaped handles. Together they symbolise blessings, £ 60,000-80,000
longevity and fulfilment of all wishes (fushou ruyi). HK$ 590,000-785,000 US$ 75,000-100,000
Vases of this type are held in important museums and 清乾隆
private collections worldwide; a vase in the National Palace 青花游龍獻壽紋如意耳葫蘆瓶一對
Museum, Taipei, was included in Illustrated Catalogue of
Ch’ing Dynasty Porcelain in the National Palace Museum: 《大清乾隆年製》款
Ch’ien-lung and Other Wares, vol. II, Tokyo, 1981, pl. 3;

Marks

68 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).
Refer to the Buying at Auction and VAT sections at the back of this catalogue for further information.