Page 107 - Bonhams May 16, 2019 London Asian Art

The Property of a Lady 女士藏品

111
A RARE DOUCAI ‘FLORAL BOUQUET’ BOWL Thomas Torrance, born in Shotts, Scotland, was a Protestant
Qianlong seal mark and of the period missionary who went to China in 1895. He was first sent to Chengdu
Delicately potted with deep rounded sides rising from a short straight by the China Inland Mission (CIM) and stayed in Western Sichuan from
foot to a slightly everted rim, the exterior finely enamelled with 1896 to 1910. He left for Scotland in 1910 but returned to Sichuan
blossoming floral sprays encircled by an elaborate and dense chains with the American Bible Society shortly after. He married Annie
of interlocking C-scroll vines, all below a band of trefoils around the Elizabeth Sharp (1883–1980) of the CIM in 1911. Whilst travelling
rim, the interior enamelled with a roundel of aster and leafy sprigs in deep into Sichuan and the foothills of the Himalayas, he came across
vivid tones of red, blue, yellow, green and aubergine. the Qiang people, about whom he wrote extensively and whom he
15.3cm (6in) diam. believed to belong to the Lost Tribes of Israel; the Selected Works of
Thomas Torrance, Chengdu, 2016, p.234. He was also instrumental in
£2,000 - 3,000 establishing the West China Union University Archaeological Museum.
CNY18,000 - 26,000 He finally left China in 1934 to return to Scotland.

The ornate and lively pattern found on the present lot was originally
清乾隆 鬥彩花卉貫套紋盌 designed during the Yongzheng period and reproduced by successive
青花「大清乾隆年製」篆書款 Qing emperors. See two Yongzheng prototypes in the Palace Museum,
Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the
Provenance: Thomas Torrance (1871–1959), and thence by descent Palace Museum: Porcelains in Polychrome and Contrasting Colours,
Hong Kong, 1999, pls.224-25. Compare with a similar doucai bowl,
來源：陶然士（1871-1959）收藏，並由後人保存迄今 Qianlong seal mark and of the period, which was sold at Bonhams
San Francisco, 16 December 2014, lot 8334.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue. FINE CHINESE ART | 105