Page 99 - Bonhams Asian Art May2016 UK

252

A BLUE AND WHITE SILVER-MOUNTED
HOOKAH BASE
17th century
The spherical body decorated with a meander
of stylised scrolling, leafy flowering stems, the
base unglazed, the neck with a white metal
Middle Eastern mount with floral and foliate
designs, stamped mark beneath the rim.
23cm (9in) high.

£2,000 - 3,000
CNY18,000 - 28,000
HK$22,000 - 33,000

The characteristic form of hookah bases had 252
only appeared in India in the 17th century.
There are similar shaped examples in glass,
often with gilt décor but more commonly
are those made in bidriware, usually inlaid
with silver. The Chinese were eager to adopt
this form in their porcelain production once
the demand for pieces like this was rapidly
growing. The Chinese blue and white models
then also had a particular influence on the
decoration of the Indian bidriware production
when these models became fashionable
export luxury items on the Indian market. Cf.
Zebrowski, Gold, Silver & Bronze from Mughal
India, London 1997, pp. 224-236.

253

A BLUE AND WHITE HOOKAH BASE
Chenghua six-character mark, Kangxi
Painted in underglaze blue with trailing floral
sprays interspersed with later, European-
enamelled, green and black florettes, the
mouth reduced.
22.7cm (9in) high

£600 - 800 253
CNY5,500 - 7,300
HK$6,600 - 8,800

254
A PAIR OF BLUE AND WHITE
CACHEPOTS AND COVERS
Kangxi
The small cylindrical jars painted with typical
foliate cartouches, the lids similarly decorated
and with short handles.
Each: 10cm (3 7/8in) diam. (4).

£1,800 - 2,200
CNY17,000 - 20,000
HK$20,000 - 24,000

254

ASIAN ART | 97