Page 8 - Bonhams Chinese Works of Art February 2015 Knightsbridge

5 6

5 6
A blue and white octagonal bottle vase A blue and white oviform jar
Chongzhen Chongzhen
The faceted vase boldly painted in a vibrant cobalt blue with a garden Painted with birds in flight amongst stylised cloud scrolls and in a
scene with a boy presenting a vessel holding three halberds to a garden of rockwork, peonies, chrysanthemums, bamboo and foliage,
scholar official, the neck typically painted with tulip motifs. the neck with a band of foliate pendants.
24cm (9 1/2in) high 26cm (10.1/4in) high.

£2,500 - 3,500 HK$30,000 - 41,000 £2,000 - 3,000 HK$24,000 - 35,000
CNY24,000 - 33,000 CNY19,000 - 28,000

An appropriate gift for a promising scholar official, a trio of halberds
rising from a vase illustrates the desire for ‘three official promotions’
in the rebus ping sheng san ji： 生 or 升, both sheng，mean rise and
promoted respectively, 三戟 or 三级 both san ji, communicate either
three halberds or three grades. The vase (ping 瓶) also alludes to 平
ping in the saying 平步青云 pingbu qingyun, or a meteoric rise.

6 | Bonhams