Page 124 - Important Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, Hong Kong

THE PROPERTY OF A LADY

3309

AN EXTREMELY RARE AND IMPORTANT BLUE AND WHITE

‘MAGPIE AND PRUNUS’ MOON FLASK

YONGZHENG SIX-CHARACTER SEAL MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF THE PERIOD

(1723-1735)

The moon flask is exquisitely painted in delicate tones of cobalt blue on one side
depicting two Oriental magpie-robins facing each other on a flowering prunus tree, one
perched on a higher branch looking down towards its companion on a lower branch,
amidst budding and blossoming prunus flowers, with stalks of bamboo emerging from
the bottom of the tree; the other side painted in a similar composition with two bulbuls
perched in counterpose on an apricot tree accompanied by bamboo, one bird turning its
head backwards to face its companion on the right. The shoulder and foot of the flask are
decorated with bands of leafy-scroll motifs, the neck painted on each side with a single
bamboo stem, and the arched handles adorned with lingzhi-scrolls. The elliptical base is
inscribed with the reign mark in seal script.
14 Ω in. (37 cm.) high

HK$40,000,000-60,000,000 US$5,200,000-7,800,000

PROVENANCE

A private collection, London, since the 1950s and thence by descent

清雍正 青花喜上眉梢抱月瓶 六字篆書款

瓶小口，直頸，頸兩邊飾如意形耳，扁圓腹，橢圓形圈足。通體青花紋飾，頸繪竹葉紋，肩部及
脛部分繪五出葉紋相對應，雙耳各飾靈芝紋，瓶身一面畫一對鵲鴝登梅樹相互對唱，樹底生矮竹
幾叢；另一面繪一對白頭鳥棲息於杏花樹上，一鳥回首仰望其同伴。底青花書「大清雍正年製」
篆書款。青花發色清麗幽婉，濃淡有致，畫工生動細膩。

來源
自 1950 年代起入藏倫敦私人收藏，此後一直於家族中流傳

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