Page 62 - Davies Collection of Chinese Porcelain

A1 68. pair of vases and covers with short necks, and oviform bodies tapering

towards the foot which expands, forming a very graceful shape. The decoration

consists of four large panels having at the base a representation of rocks; upon these

are perched birds of paradise and Ho-Ho birds, at the back of which are large

flowering branches of the peony, hawthorn, lotus, and chrysanthemum flowers.

Separating these panels are sections in imitation of shark-skin, the ground enamelled

green pencilled in black, on which are floating sacred emblems in various colours

and hawthorn blossoms in red with yellow centres; each of these sections has a yellow

margin lined with black. At the foot is a band of lotus flowers and formal foliage in

green, yellow, rouge-de-fer, aubergine, and black. On the neck are sacred emblems

in green and rouge-de-fer on white, and below is a band of acantha leaves in rouge-

de-fer and yellow; these spring from another band of pencilled design in rouge-de-fer

on white. Surrounding which is a border of Joey heads in green, yellow, aubergine,

and black, with margin of pale green, aubergine, and rouge-de-fer. From this

descends on to the body of the vase a representation of a piece of handsome

brocade, the background green with chrysanthemum and other blossoms in rich blue

and rouge-de-fer. The cover, which is bell-shaped, has sacred emblems and

chrysanthemum flowers in various colours on white, above which are Joey heads in

blue, aubergine, and yellow, outlined in black, with borders of pale and dark green

and rouge-de-fer. The knob, which is in the form of a chrysanthemum bud, is
enamelled in green and rouge-de-fer outlined with black. The whole most exquisitely

drawn and beautifully enamelled in famille-verte colours. Kang-He period. Height

20 inches. {See Illustration^ Plate XI.^ facing page 38).

A169. short-necked vase with oviform body, the background of rouge-de-fer

with large chrysanthemum flowers and formal foliage in white. On the body and

neck are ten panels of various forms, containing flowering trees, birds, insects, altar

vases, etc., all finely drawn and richly enamelled in famille-verte colours on a white

ground. At the foot is a broad band of archaic design in white on rouge-de-fer,

and on the shoulder is another broad band having a trellis design in rouge-de-fer

lined with white, this intersected with four small reserves containing crabs and shrimps

in black on a white ground. Kang-He period. Height i ']^ inches.

36