Page 35 - 2019 October Important Chinese Art Sotheby's Hong Kong

fig. 4
Famille-rose bowl with prunus, bamboo and lingzhi, mark and period of Yongzheng
Formerly in the collection of William Kenneth Slatcher C.V.O. (1926-1997)
Sotheby’s Paris, 23rd June 2016, lot 93
圖四
清雍正 粉彩春梅靈芝盌 《大清雍正年製》款
William Kenneth Slatcher C.V.O.（1926-1997年）舊藏
巴黎蘇富比2016年6月23 日，編號93

of the prunus on the present bowl. The two prunus boughs, inherit one-third of Henry Knight’s Chinese art collection
painted with the translucent pigments of contrasting upon his death.
colourations, pink and snow-white, express the tender grace Frederick started building up his own collection in the late
of new shoots particularly enjoyed in the Spring.
1960s, purchasing ceramics from the Tang dynasty to the
The present bowl is also remarkable for its provenance Qing periods. In his forward to the Frederick Knight sale
history, having been in the collection of the prominent held at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in May 1982, Julian Thompson
European Chinese art collector, Frederick Knight. Frederick mentions how the collection was notable for its range and for
was nephew to Henry Knight (d. 1971) who made his fortune the care with which each object had been chosen, including
in the insurance business in the Netherlands and became a the present bowl. Each piece adds something new to our
major collector of Chinese art in the 20th century. According understanding and knowledge of a particular type of ware
to Roger Bluett, Henry Knight built up the best collection and are well worthy of study. Frederick was known as a
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of 18th century porcelains in Europe following his father’s somewhat colourful character, albeit with a fine eye for
advice to purchase “Chinese taste” porcelains. He displayed quality and collected with great flair and determination. The
his collection privately at his apartment in Scheveningen, present Yongzheng bowl is a testament to his discerning
outside the Hague, and it was only after the exhibition of taste and knowledge of the imperial art of 18th century
Asian art at the Rijksmuseum in 1954, when the curator, Jan China.
Fontein, included many of his Chinese art pieces, that his 1 Translation by Victor H. Mair in Victor H. Mair ed., The Shorter Colombia
collection became public knowledge. 3 Anthology of Traditional Chinese Literature, New York, 2000, p. 114. Mair
notes that the ‘robe of golden thread’ is a reference to one’s official career
Frederick Knight is described by Julian Thompson as and dignity.
perhaps one of the last of the group of European collectors 2 See Fong Chow, ‘Symbolism in Chinese Porcelain,’ The Metropolitan
and connoisseurs of Chinese art which has included Sir Museum of Art, Summer 1962, p. 24.
Percival David, Sir Harry Garner, King Gustaf VI Adolf of 3 Roy Davids and Dominic Jellinek, Provenance. Collectors, Dealers and
Sweden and Henry Knight. Frederick spent much of his Scholars: Chinese Ceramics in Britain and America, London, 2011, p. 276.
youth in his uncle’s home where he learnt about Chinese 4 Julian Thompson, ‘Foreword,’ in The Frederick Knight Collection Catalogue
art. He must have been very close to his uncle as he was to of Important Chinese Ceramics and Lacquer, Sotheby’s, Hong Kong, 1982.

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