Page 46 - Sotheby's, July 11, 2020 Harry Garner Reticulated vase

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A MAGNIFICENT AND HIGHLY IMPORTANT YANGCAI

RETICULATED VASE
SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG
MATCHING RECORD DATED TO THE 12TH DAY OF THE

8TH MONTH IN THE 7TH YEAR OF THE QIANLONG
PERIOD (CORRESPONDING TO 1742)

superbly potted with a pear-shaped body rising from a splayed foot to a tall waisted neck below an elaborately overhanging cusped
ruyi collar at the rim, the neck flanked by a pair of gilt sinuous dragon handles and opulently decorated with three friezes divided
by gilt bands, each frieze enclosing symmetrically arranged luxuriant flower garlands composed of stylised blooms and Rococo-
inspired whimsical undulating acanthus leaves with feathery fronds, all against a rich puce ground picked out with scrollwork
rendered with needle-fine sgraffiato engraving, the puce-ground floral design meticulously repeated along the lower body and foot,
the prominent and rounded lower section of the body ingeniously modelled with a celadon-reticulated wall of interlaced dragons,
interspersed with archaistic bird and bat-like motifs, all emphasised with gilt borders, the intricately carved wall revealing an inner
vase decorated in shaded tones of cobalt blue with nine succulent peaches borne on leafy branches, all between lime-green bands
of detached florets flanked by scrolling foliage encircling the ruyi collar at the rim and the foot, the base enamelled turquoise and
centred with an underglaze-blue six-character seal mark reserved in a white square
31.4 cm, 12⅜ in.
PROVENANCE*
Collection of Sir Harry M. Garner (1891-1977).
Sotheby’s London, 25th May 1954, lot 91 (£44).
Bluett & Sons, London, inventory no. 3396.
Jacob Stodel, Amsterdam and London, acquired from the above, 8th November 1954 (£80).
Collection of Henry M. Knight (1903-1970), The Hague, Holland.
Thence by descent.

HK$ 70,000,000-90,000,000
US$ 9.010,000-11,580,000

Mark

* We thank Dominic Jellinek for his kind help on researching the provenance of the Garner vase.

44 SOTHEBY ’S THE HARRY G ARNER RE TICUL ATED VASE