Page 174 - Chinese Porcelain Vol II, Galland

KANG-HE.
340

Soft Paste.
This we know, from Pere d'Entrecolles' letters, was dis-
covered towards the end of this reign (see p. 444), and although
in blue and white and the blanche de Chine class
Kang-he pieces
are to be met with, it is doubted if the true Kang-he famille
verte style of decoration is to be found on soft paste. If you
ask a London dealer, the will be that he cannot
reply probably
remember ever having seen it ; but this is what Mr. Winthrop
writes on the subject :
"
Among other specimens was a handsome K'hang-he
cylindrical vase, with the pheasant, rocks, chrysanthemums,
etc., and diapered borders, all upon a body of soft paste, with
a beautiful
floating glaze.
"
Once a time I think that I made for on the
upon you
margin of a letter a tiny drawing of a teapot in the shape of
a or a Peehe de Uanc in de Chine, and
pomegranate, longevitc
the of the vase that I have seen almost
paste just appears
identical with that of the
teapot.
"A who has been in China and
Japanese gentleman,
and is much interested in called my
Europe, porcelain,
attention to of these fine where
sundry K'hang-he pieces,
the same hand had decorated upon the soft paste and upon
the common hard paste, showing that the two pastes were
made at the same and at the same
epoch, probably factory.
Two of these soft with covers are marked
paste jars (potiches)
under the foot with the double while
ring in blue under-glaze,
the fine soft has no mark whatever.
paste cylinder jar
"In this house I have a decorated
'K'hang-he' potiche
with the pheasant, etc., double ring under the bottom, where
the decoration as a specimen of successful colour is very
remarkable, I think. Every tint has come out at its fullest
tone. In other it has out of the common.
respects nothing
of it, that I
I enclose herewith a sketch, or rather, etching,
made when were better
twenty years ago, my eyes (No. 848).
I send it to you that you may identify a piece, decorated upon
the hard Chinese of of which I
ordinary paste good quality,
have had in hand the
just my counterpart, painted incontestibly
by the same hand, with every little trick of touch, upon the
soft with The two must have been
paste floating glaze. pieces