Page 116 - Sothebys Fine Chinese Art London, November 2018

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IMPERIAL CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART FROM
THE DETRING/VON HANNEKEN COLLECTION
A RARE WHITE-GLAZED
DOUBLE-GOURD VASE
QIANLONG SEAL MARK AND
PERIOD
elegantly potted of double-gourd form with a
globular lower bulb rising to a waisted neck and
a smaller upper bulb with an incurved rim, the
mouth flanked by a pair of arched ruyi-shaped
handles attached to the shoulders on the lower
bulb, the neck collared by a raised ring above
a faint fillet around the top of the lower bulb,
covered overall with an even tone of white glaze
of warm milky tone, the base with a seal mark in
underglaze-blue
23 cm, 9⅛ in. Interior view of Gustav Detring’s home, Tianjin, circa 1890
德璀琳故居舊景，天津，1890年代
PROVENANCE
Collection of Gustav Detring (1842-1913) and
thence by descent.
£ 200,000-400,000
HK$ 2,030,000-4,060,000
US$ 259,000-520,000

清乾隆 白釉如意耳葫蘆尊
《大清乾隆年製》款
來源
德璀琳(1842-1913) 收藏, 此後家族傳承
The harmonious form, purity of colour and and flowers, also with an underglaze-blue Qianlong
pleasing tactility of the present vase embodies the seal mark, of which only six pieces are known
voluntary reduction of ornamentation and aesthetic to have been published, including a pair sold at
triumph achieved by potters of the Qing dynasty. Christie’s London, 9th May 2017, lot 99.
The revival of the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen Qianlong vases of related double-gourd form
under the Kangxi Emperor and his pursuit of the and flanked with ruyi handles, but with slight
recreation of forgotten glaze recipes was continued variations in proportions, are known; see one
under the Yongzheng and Qianlong Emperors.
Mark covered in a clair-de-lune glaze, from the Wah
Combined with their love of antiquity, they pushed Kwong collection, included in the exhibition
craftsmen to the limits of their abilities, of which Qing porcelain from the Wah Kwong Collection,
flawless light monochrome wares such as the The Art Gallery, Chinese University of Hong
present represented one of the most understated Kong, Hong Kong, 1974, cat. no. 15; another
yet difficult achievements. Such wares required sold at Christie’s London, 12th June 1989,
perfection in every stage of production, from the lot 35A; and one carved with stylised lotus
material to the potting, glazing and firing, as any scrolls, covered in a pale celadon glaze, from
defect would result in the destruction of the piece.
the collection of the Hosokawa clan, published
Plain white vases of this type are extremely rare. in Sekai toji zenshu / Collection of World’s
During the Qing dynasty, three types of white Ceramics, vol. 12: Shinchou henfu Annan, Thai /
wares are recorded to have been produced: Ch’ing Dynasty with a Supplement on Annamese
Ding-type wares, which were fired at a higher Ceramics, Tokyo, 1956, pl. 92. A Qianlong
temperature than the original; soft-paste type mark and period vase of comparable form,
wares which were characterised by a yellowish- decorated with lotus scrolls in underglaze-blue,
ivory tinge; and the traditional high-fired wares was included in the exhibition Ming and Ch’ing
with a transparent glaze, first created during the Porcelain from the T.Y. Chao Family Foundation,
Yongle reign of the Ming dynasty, which formed Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1978,
the majority of white wares including the present. cat. no. 88.
The form appears to derive from early Ming For the Yongzheng prototype to this form, see
moonflasks (bianhu) painted with flower scrolls a vase carved with a lotus scroll, in the Palace
in underglaze-blue which were revived during the Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete
Yongzheng reign and continued into the Qianlong Works of Chinese Ceramics, vol. 14, Shanghai,
period. This exact shape is better known with an 1999, pl. 212, together with another decorated
enamelled design of exquisitely painted butterflies in doucai enamels, pl. 183.
114 SOTHEBY’S