Page 105 - The Parry Collection Bonhams London November 2 2021

Fig.1

Firstly, the Palace Museum, Beijing, has two eight-lobed considered too big, and not necessary for a teapot handle. A
painted enamel teapots, Qianlong mark and of the period, plan was drawn for the Qixiang Palace and submitted on time.
made in the Fourth year of the Qianlong reign (1739), with The handle was made of fragment pieces of aventurine stone.
handles, painted on the body with landscapes and flowers On the Twentieth day of the Eighth month, Wu Shu and Deng
(see Fig.1). The handle is encased with ‘gold star’ glass (also Bage presented both the pair of painted enamel teapots with
known as aventurine ‘stone’). The body of the teapot has four aventurine stone and the original silver models to eunuch Mao
alternating landscapes and four flower paintings. The base Tuan, and Hu Shijie for presentation. 2
is white, similarly to the Parry teapot, with a four-character
Qianlong mark surrounded by bamboo leaves and lingzhi. On the Twenty-first day of the Eighth month Commissioner
Underneath the teapot is a small octagonal stand with a Wu Shu said that eunuch Mao Tuan presented the painted
heating bowl. The shape of the piece has a strong Western enamel teapots with aventurine stone. A Decree was passed
style while the decoration is Chinese, making it a vessel that another pair of painted enamel teapots should be made
combining elements of eastern and western cultures. The according to this style, with a belly of four cun diameter [one
Qing Archives record that: cun equals 3.333 cm], and aventurine stone, with gilt-copper
body and frame, and aventurine stone inlay on the foot. A
In the Fourth year of the Qianlong reign, Enamel Workshop. plan was drawn up and presented. On the Fifth year of the
On the Thirteenth day of the Fifth month, leader Wu Shu Qianlong reign of the Fifteenth day of the Second month,
said that eunuch Mao Tuan presented a Western silver chief commissioner Wu Shu and Deng Bage presented the
hot water pot. The Decree was passed to make a pair of aventurine stone inlay teapots as well as the original models to
painted enamel teapots in this form. On the Twenty-first day eunuch Gao Yu for inspection. 3
of the Seventh month, eunuch Mao Tuan sent a Decree that These two records from the Qing Archives provide us with
the copper painted enamel teapots should be made and important information. That the eight-faceted painted enamel
presented. On the same day, leader Wu Shu brought the teapots with handles were made based on Western models
pair of copper enamel Western style teapots for eunuch Mao in accordance with the Qianlong Emperor’s Decree in the
Tuan to inspect, who put aventurine stone on the handles and Fourth year of his reign, and that a pair was made. The Palace
decorated the base. On the Twenty-ninth day of the Seventh Museum, Beijing, currently has one pair. The other evidence
month, chiefs Li Jiuming, Bai Shixiu took from the storerooms shows that another pair of teapots were made in accordance
a piece of aventurine stone (weight 20 catties) and handed with this mixed Chinese and Western style, but to date they
it over to eunuch Hu Shijie and Gao Yu. The material was have not been seen.

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