Page 50 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Art Nov 2013 Hong Kong

229 Compare a very similar example of another flambé-glazed lobed vase
A fine and very rare flambé-glazed ‘pomegranate’ lobed vase with flower mouth, also with impressed Qianlong seal mark, in the
Qianlong seal mark and of the period Nanjing Museum, Nanjing, illustrated in Treasures in the Royalty. The
Finely potted with lobed vertical sections like a ripe pomegranate fruit, Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003,
with splayed foot, globular body with curved shoulders, and flowerhead- p.395. See also another similar example from the Meiyintang collection,
rim all under a rich purplish red glaze, the base impressed with a six- previously in the J.M. Hu collection and later in the Hall Family collection
character Imperial zhuanshu seal mark. (no.553), illustrated by Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the
18.1cm high. Meiyintang Collection. Volume Four (II), London, 2010, pp.364-365,
HK$1,500,000 - 1,800,000 no.1811. A similar example with Jiaqing mark was sold in our London
US$190,000 - 230,000 rooms, 8 November 2012, lot 122. For further reference, see also
another related flambé vase (collection no. A291) in the Baur collection,
清乾隆 窯變釉石榴形尊 「大清乾隆年製」篆書款 illustrated by John Ayers, Chinese Ceramics in The Baur Collection. Vol.2,
Geneva, 1999, p.153, pl.260; and another illustrated by Liu Liang-yu, A
The use of the copper-red on flambé glazes is unlike any other copper- Survey of Chinese Ceramics. Ch’ing Official and Popular Wares. Vol.5,
red glazes as it contains lead and is easily identified by its visual and Taipei, 1991, p.207.
tactile qualities represented by a range of streaked, variegated and
splashed tones. The difficulty of creating attractive flambé glazes cannot 器身石榴形，六瓣花口外撇，溜肩鼓腹，圈足外撇，整器由凹線分為六
be overstated as the dramatic streaked effects are no relation to the skills 瓣，器形飽滿端莊。通身施窯變釉，釉質肥潤，釉面晶瑩，器身以高溫
in firing control, but rather a result from how the glaze reacts in the kiln. 紅銅釉為主色調，瓶口、頸部及凹陷處因釉汁流淌而成藍色及月白色，
於紅釉冷暖交相輝映，相得益彰，器底部刻「大清乾隆年製」六字三行
Flambé glazes were only achieved towards the late Kangxi period and 篆書款。
might have occurred by accident, as recorded in the second letter dated
1722 by Father François Xavier d’Entrecolles (1664-1741), the French 窯變釉為雍正時期在唐英督務下景德鎮御窯廠創燒仿宋代鈞釉品種，至
Jesuit priest who was also an innovator in discovering Chinese porcelain 乾隆一朝，則由之前的「火焰青」逐漸變為紅、藍、月白各色交織花
manufacturing techniques though his investigations, ‘I was brought a 紋，且器形趨於秀美，至嘉慶、道光時便略顯得笨拙。本器器形仿生，
piece of porcelain called yao-pien [yaobian, flambé] or transmutation. 作石榴果實狀，紅釉深沉，藍釉光潔，釉面流動感已不像雍正時反复多
This transmutation happens in the kiln and is caused either by a defect, 變，而顯穩重端莊，為乾隆典型窯變一例。
or from excessive heat or some other unknown cause. This piece which,
in the opinion of the worker, was not successful, and was caused by 與本器相似之例，參看台北故宮博物院藏一件乾隆窯變石榴尊，著錄於
pure chance, is no less beautiful or prized. The worker had planned 《故宮清瓷圖錄：乾隆窯及其他》，台北，1980年，圖版75；另見山
to make soufflé red vases. One hundred pieces were lost, and the one 東博物館藏同樣一件乾隆窯變石榴尊，其器身月白釉流動更多（博物
which I spoke of came from the kiln resembling a piece of agate. If one 館編號1947CID39）；另見一件梅茵堂藏乾隆窯變石榴尊，屬胡惠
wanted to run the risks and the expense of different attempts, he could 春舊藏，著錄於康蕊君，《Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang
finally find the technique which chance produced only one.’ The extract Collection》，卷四（下），倫敦，2010年，頁364-365；同樣器形，後
serves to demonstrate and stress two important points: although the 朝都有仿製，南京博物院藏一件清道光窯變釉石榴尊，見《宮廷珍藏中
discovery of the flambé glaze was an unknown stroke of luck, it was still 國清代官窯瓷器》，上海，2003年，頁395；倫敦邦瀚斯曾售出一件清
considered ‘beautiful’ and ‘prized’; it is also rare and difficult to produce, 嘉慶窯變石榴尊，2012年11月8日，拍品122。
since according to the records only one was accidentally produced since
‘one hundred pieces were lost’.

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