Page 30 - Christie's London Fine Chinese Ceramics Nov. 2019

The present washer is covered with an exceptionally beautiful glaze, of soft been applied to its mouth rim, probably to disguise minor damage. See
bluish-celadon tone. Longquan glazes of this type are held in the higest Masterpieces of Chinese Ceramics from the Percival David Collection, Osaka,
regard. The production of such high-quality celadon wares at the Longquan 1998, p. 53, no. 23.
kilns was infuenced by the establishment of the Guan kiln after the Song
court settled in Hangzhou. Depictions of fne Longquan celadon wares in 18th century imperial paintings
indicate a particular appreciation for these wares by the Yongzheng (1723-
Several comparable examples in Museum collections are known. A 1735) and Qianlong (1736-1795) emperors. A Longquan brush washer of
Longquan celadon washer of similar form and identical size to the present comparable form to the present vessel can be seen in an imperial scroll in
vessel, now in the collection of the Sichuan museum, was excavated in the Percival David Foundation, Guwan tu, 'Ancient Playthings', depicting
1974 from a Yuan tomb in Yuanyichang, Dongxi, Jianyang county. See Zhu items from the imperial collection, dated by inscription to the sixth year of
Boqian (ed.), Celadons from Longquan Kilns, Taipei, 1998, p. 172 fg.144-1 and Yongzheng (1728). See Evelyn S. Rawski and Jessica Rawson, China: The
fg.144-2. A similarly proportioned Longquan brush washer in the collection Three Emperors 1662-1795, London, 2005, pp. 252-253, no. 168. The washer
of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, is illustrated in Porcelain of the appears to be of similar color to the present vessel and is painted with a
National Palace Museum - Lung-ch’üan Ware of the Sung Dynasty, Hong crackled glaze. Another Longquan brush washer is illustrated in a leaf from
Kong, 1962, p. 61, pls. 18 & 18a. Another Longquan brush washer from the a Qianlong-period album entitled Refned Ceramics of Collected Antiquity, in
Qing Court Collection is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, and the collection of the National Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Obtaining Refned
illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum Enjoyment: The Qianlong Emperor’s Taste in Ceramics, Taipei, 2012, pp. 224-
- 33 - Porcelain of the Song Dynasty (II), Hong Kong, 1996, p. 145, no. 130. 25, no. 104. (Fig. 1).
The Beijing brush washer also has a fne bluish glaze, but with some crackle
reminiscent of Guan ware. A glaze similar to that on the current vessel can A similarly-formed but slightly smaller Longquan washer in the Linyushanren
be seen on another similarly shaped washer in the Percival David Foundation. Collection was sold at Chrsitie's New York, 15 September 2016, lot 719.
This Longquan washer has an uncrackled glaze, and a copper band has

28 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty
fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.