Page 8 - Christie's, The Palmer Family Collection May 31 to June 1, 2023 Hong Kong

Lot 拍品編號 2811 Lot 拍品編號 2803 Lot 拍品編號 2801

in their own right. Several hundred are preserved in the The distinctive Kangxi basket-shaped parfumier (Lot 2811)
collection of Reading Museum. As already noted, the was formerly in the collection of the Right Honourable Lord
subjects of the decoration on these tins are very varied, but Brownlow. It is possible that Lord Brownlow inherited it
it is interesting to note that a significant number of designs from one of his ancestors, Sir John Brownlow, 3 Baronet
rd
were inspired by Chinese art – predominantly Chinese (1659-97). In their manor house at Belton, Lincolnshire,
porcelain, lacquer, and metalwork. As early as 1908-9, a Sir John and Lady Brownlow are recorded to have followed
tin was designed based on cloisonné enamel with a bird and the contemporary fashion for oriental art and chinoiserie,
th
flower design on a turquoise ground. In 1928 an ambitious and to have had a collection of late 17 century Chinese and
and complex tin was made in the form of a square section 17 Japanese porcelain, some of which is still in Belton House
th
century Chinese vase with decoration resembling famille verte today. If this parfumier was originally part of Sir John’s
panels reserved against a blue ground. While almost 40 years collection, he must have acquired it shortly after it was
later, in 1964, a tin was made with a design of white prunus made. The vessel is identical to a basket-shaped parfumier in
blossom against a blue cracked-ice background, apparently the collection of Sir Percival David (illustrated by Rosemary
tied with a golden cord, as if for presentation as a gift. Scott in For the Imperial Court – Qing Porcelain from the Percival
David Foundation of Chinese Art, New York, Singapore,
Christie’s Hong Kong has had a relationship with the Palmer London, 1997, pp. 54-5, no. 4). The Percival David vessel
Collection for more than thirty years. One of the first groups was included in the International Exhibition of Chinese Art,
of items from important private collections sold by Christie’s London, 1935-6, exhibit no. 1664.
Hong Kong after its founding in 1987, comprised nineteen
pieces from the Palmer Collection. The sale of Important The 17 century wucai wine jar (Lot 2803) was formerly
th
Early Ming Blue and White Porcelain from the Collection of the in the famous Alexander Collection. This collection was
late Mr and Mrs R.H.R. Palmer took place on 17 January 1989. amassed by William Cleverley Alexander (1840-1916), a
Two of the most important items in the sale were a delicate banker, who was described by R.L. Hobson in his 1931
Chenghua ‘palace bowl’ and a fine Xuande-marked blue publication Chinese Ceramics in Private Collections as being ‘one
and white double gourd flask. The latter had formerly been of the noted connoisseurs of his day…’ He was also a patron
in the collection of Major L. F. Hay (1891-1946), and it is of the artist James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903). Items
notable that a number of the items in the current catalogue from the Alexander Collection were shown at a number of
have also formerly been part of other famous collections or important early exhibitions of Chinese ceramics, such as
have links to important related pieces. the 1895 Exhibition of Blue and White Oriental Porcelain held

(Samuel Palmer，1820至1903年，即上文提到的浩瑋·帕默 企業。最初，餅罐貼飾的都是當時頂尖工業設計師構思的精美
之父) 加入公司，維埃·帕默 (William Isaac Palmer，1893年 貼紙，但於1870年代中期，借助韓氏工廠授權使用的全新膠印
卒) 則於1851年加盟。韓鐸禮於1857年辭世，其子亨利對公司 工序，終可直接在餅罐上印刷圖案，產品外觀益顯氣派。帕默
業務興趣不大，遂欣然將股份轉讓予帕默家族，從此過着悠哉 商品以創意非凡的造型脫穎而出，其餅罐的造型與裝飾變化多
遊哉的鄉紳生活。自1873年起，別的帕默家族成員陸續加入， 端，如藏書、風車和皇宮崗亭等。如今，H & P的餅罐本身已成
如喬治之子George William、 Alfred和Walter，以及塞繆· 為炙手可熱的收藏目標。雷丁博物館珍藏中，仍有數百個該公
帕默之子Ernest、Charles、Howard和Bertie。 司的餅罐。誠如上文所述，罐身的裝飾題材五花八門，最引人
入勝的是，其設計常以中國藝術品 (以中國瓷器、漆器和金屬器
根據喬治執掌公司時製訂的營銷方案，海報與包裝均須美觀大 為主) 為藍本。早於1908至1909年期間，該公司已推出一款仿
方。由於行銷網絡日廣，其餅乾必須放在密封罐內，方能確保 松石綠地花鳥紋掐絲琺瑯的造型。1928年的一款設計亦大膽
新鮮酥脆。無巧不成書，韓鐸禮的弟弟約瑟 (1807至1895年) 精巧，其造型脫胎於中國十七世紀藍地五彩開光四方瓶。約四
學的恰恰是製罐工藝，其公司於1832年在雷丁市開業，命名 十年後，1964年再有一款藍地冰裂白梅紋餅罐面世，據說罐身
「Huntley、Boorne及Stevens」。該公司使用的蒸汽機出自 繫以金繩，狀若饋贈之禮。
Barrett, Exall及Andrewes，正是與喬治合作研發製餅機的

6 A HERITAGE OF APPRECIATION