Page 168 - Fine Chinese Ceramics Sept 2016

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A VERY RARE WHITE-GLAZED RELIEF-DECORATED HEXALOBED VASE
JIAQING SIX-CHARACTER INCISED SEAL MARK AND OF PERIOD
(1796-1820)
Each lobe of the body is decorated in crisp relief with an elegant, stylized, branching fower
stem that rises from above the petal-lappet border at the foot to below the six out-turned
barbed petals that form the everted rim, each petal relief-decorated with a bat. The vase is
covered overall with a crackled, opaque glaze of ivory tone.
9º in. (23.5 cm.) high
$200,000-300,000

PROVENANCE

Collection of Eleanor Masters Hutchison (1900-1985), Illinois, acquired in Montreal,
Canada, after WWII.

Each of the six petals forming the unusual out-turned rim of this elegant vase is adorned
with a stylized bat. The bat is a symbol of happiness and good fortune, as the word for
happiness (fu), is pronounced the same as the word for bat.

The form of this vase, sometimes referred to as a ‘pomegranate’ vase, enjoyed favor
throughout the high Qing period. In the discussion of a Qianlong fambé-glazed vase
of this form illustrated in Ethereal Elegance, Porcelain Vases of the Imperial Qing, The
Huaihaitang Collection, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, p. 230, no. 72, it is noted
that the “oblate six-lobed body and pronounced everted mouth was probably an innovative
design of the Qianlong reign.” A pair of Qianlong-marked turquoise-glazed vases of similar
form and relief decoration, but lacking the lobes, from the J.M. Hu Collection, was sold
at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 9 October 2012, lot 112. One of this pair of vases is illustrated in
Qing Imperial Monochromes: The Zande Lou Collection, The Chinese University of Hong
Kong, 2005, pp. 128-9, no. 47. Jiaqing-marked vases of this form and relief decoration
appear to be exceedingly rare.

A Jiaqing-marked celadon-glazed vase of diferent form, but with similar foral meander
molded in relief around the body, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 April 2001, lot 554.
Compare, also, the Jiaqing-marked white-glazed vase with molded decoration sold at
Doyle New York, 14 September 2009, lot 139.
清嘉慶 白釉西番蓮紋棱式花口瓶 六字篆書刻款

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