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This rare vase is remarkable for its exquisite luminous bluish Christie’s New York, 19th September 2007, lot 370; and in
glaze, the purity of which accentuates the graceful curves of its these rooms, 16th March 2016, lot 315 ( g. 1). Compare also a
pro le. Created in imitation of Longquan celadon vases of the lobed double-gourd vase with a cinched waist and a seal mark
Song period, it re ects the Yongzheng emperor’s penchant for written in three vertical lines, in the National Palace Museum,
these early wares and the remarkable technical developments Taipei, included in the museum’s Special Exhibition of K’ang-
achieved at the imperial kiln and made to meet the speci c hsi, Yung-cheng and Ch’ien-lung Porcelain Ware from the
taste of the emperor. While a delicate, almost watery, celadon Ch’ing Dynasty in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1986,
glaze had already been created in the Kangxi reign, achieved cat. no. 66; and another from the Elisabeth Severance Prentiss
by reducing the amount of iron typically found on Song collection, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Meiyintang
dynasty Longquan celadons, it was during the Yongzheng collections, sold at Christie’s New York, 21st September 2000,
period that production of celadon wares greatly expanded. lot 374, and again in our Hong Kong rooms, 5th October 2011,
According to the Taocheng shiyi jishi beiji [Commemorative lot 3.
stele on ceramic production], compiled in 1735 by the brilliant
supervisor of the imperial factory, Tang Ying (1682-1756), Vases of this form grew in popularity in the succeeding
several varieties of celadon glazes were experimented with at Qianlong reign, when greater quantities were produced; see
the time (see S.W. Bushell, Oriental Ceramic Art, London, 1981, one with a cover in the Nanjing Museum, Nanjing, included in
p. 197). the exhibition Qing Imperial Porcelain of the Kangxi, Yongzheng
and Qianlong Reigns, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of
The seal mark on the base of this vase is also notable. A Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1995, cat. no. 69; another published
similar mark is discussed by Peter Y.K. Lam in ‘Four Studies in Chinese Porcelain. The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection,
on Yongzheng and Qianlong Imperial Ware’, in the catalogue Hong Kong, 1987, vol. 1, pl. 160; and a third vase from the
to the exhibition Ethereal Elegance. Porcelain Vases of the Jingguantang collection, included in the Min Chiu Society
Imperial Qing. The Huaihaitang Collection, Art Museum, The exhibition Splendour of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, Museum
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2007, p. 54, of Art, Hong Kong, 1995, cat. no. 212, and illustrated in The
where several zhuanshu marks are illustrated, p. 38. Lam Tsui Museum of Art, vol. VI, Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 37, together
notes the rarity of the present mark and suggests that this with its pair, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 3rd November 1996,
style was probably used only for part of the reign before being lot 571.
superseded by another type towards the end of the reign. A
variation of the mark, inscribed in two horizontal rows is found The double gourd, hulu, was widely viewed in the Ming and
on a Ru-type glazed cup from the J.M. Hu Collection, sold at Qing dynasties as auspicious, its large number of seeds
Christie’s Hong Kong, 30th November 2011, lot 2929. representing fertility and the wish for numerous sons. It was
also an important symbol of Daoism, particularly associated
A closely related vase from the Qing Court collection, and still with Li Tieguai, one of the Eight Immortals, who is often
in Beijing, is illustrated in Qingdai yuyao ciqi [Qing porcelains depicted with a double gourd at his waist containing the elixir
from the imperial kilns preserved in the Palace Museum], of immortality. In addition, the Chinese word for double gourd
Beijing, 2005, vol. 2, pl. 200; further vases of this type were forms a rebus with the phrase fulu, meaning happiness and
sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 24th May 1978, lot 227; at prosperity through government positions.
Fig. 1 A rare celadon-glazed double-gourd vase, Yongzheng seal mark
and period. Sold at Sotheby’s New York, 16th March 2016, lot 315
