Page 61 - Davies Collection of Chinese Porcelain

1 66. Tall vase with oviform body and short neck. The background of rich green
pencilled in black, over which are large chrysanthemum flowers in various colours.

On either side is an important panel with the figures of birds perched respectively

upon branches of a flowering hawthorn and peony tree; separating these on each side
are two small reserves, one circular and the other leaf shaped, three containing
flowering trees, insects, and birds, and the last butterflies. At the foot is an archaic
band enamelled in yellow, aubergine, and green, separated from the main decoration
by bands of rouge-de-fer and yellow. Round the shoulder is a broad diaper pattern
border in green and aubergine relieved with formal chrysanthemums in rouge-de-fer,
and intersected with four small reserves having sacred emblems on white. Suspended
from this, and going over the shoulder, is a band of Joey heads enamelled in green
and rouge-de-fer, pencilled in black outlined with yellow. The neck, the ground of

which is white, has four Ho-Ho birds in medallion form intersected by clouds.

Round the lip is a band of Joey heads in green, pencilled in black and outlined in

yellow, from which is suspended a border of silk tassels in rouge-de-fer and green.

The whole in brilliant famille-verte colours. Kang-He period. Height 1 8| inches.

167. An oviform vase with short neck, decorated with a background of rich rouge-

de-fer, relieved with formal foliage in white, and large chrysanthemum flowers in
various colours. Large reserves at the front and back, one with rocks and a large branch
of a flowering chrysanthemum tree with a butterfly at the side, the other with rocks and
a branch of the peony tree with a bird perched upon it. These are divided on either
side by two reserves, the one fan-shaped and the other in the form of a pomegranate ;
these are all difl"erently treated with various plants, birds, insects, and flowers on a white
ground, and bear the seal character of the artist. At the foot is an archaic band in

aubergine, rouge-de-fer, and pale green bordered with a band of darker green. On

the shoulder is a broad diaper design representing brocade, with hawthorn blossoms in
, gold outlined in rouge-de-fer; between these are small reserves containing flowering

plants and insects on a white ground. The neck is treated in uniformity with the

rest of the vase, and is separated from the shoulder by a yellow band. All in rich

famille-verte colours. The drawing throughout is of the finest, and this vase is

undoubtedly one of the most remarkable specimens of its type extant. Kang-He
period. Height 17^^ inches. {^See Illustration, Plate XII., facing page 40).

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