Page 105 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Art Nov 2013 London

These magnificent vases are truly remarkable for
their sheer size, and would doubtless have formed
a striking part of the decoration in any large and
imposing hall. The taste for such massive pieces
in the 19th century is illustrated by examples in the
Qing Court Collection; see for example a massive
baluster vase also with densely blossoming peony
and magnolia and 113cm high, illustrated in
Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum:
Enamels 4, Beijing, 2010, no.222. Another tall and
elegant vase with flowers issuing from rockwork,
but smaller than the present lot at 785.cm high, is
illustrated ibid., no.221.
Compare also a very large pair of vases dated to
the Jiaqing period, also with blossoming branches
but with elephant stands, sold at Christie’s London,
10 May 2011, lot 151.

Fine Chinese art | 103