27 – M5240
Description
Chinese imperial porcelain ruby ground famille rose enamelled vase, feng er ping, with light blue and dark blue enamelled outlined openwork phoenix handles, decorated on each side with the Eight Daoist Emblems, anbaxian on a rich and even ruby-red enamel ground above a lappet band with ruyi-head terminals and a leaf band on a gently splayed foot, all beneath a yellow ground band of ruyi-heads at the gilt rim, the interior and base lined with turquoise enamel.
The underside with a six-character sealmark of Qianlong in iron-red and of the period, 1736-1795. 12 ⅛ inches, 30.8 cm high.
Provenance & Additional Information
- From the collection of Catherine Teresa Santry, the vase was given to her husband circa 1980.
- Included by Sotheby’s Hong Kong in their auction of Important Chinese Art, 9th October 2022, lot 3637, where it notes, “This magnificent vase is remarkable not only for its high quality of enamelling which represents the zenith of such technique during the Qianlong period (1736-95), but also the unusual selection of auspicious emblems depicted, and the intricate phoenix handles”.
- A related ruby ground vase of this design is illustrated in Porcelains with Cloisonné Enamel Decoration and Famille-Rose Decoration, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Volume 39, Hong Kong, 1999, no. 127, p. 145, where it is interesting to note no. 123, p. 141, a related famille rose enamelled green ground vase, has an identical mark on a turquoise ground with similar idiosyncrasies.
- A related pair of ruby ground two-handled vases were sold by Christie’s Hong Kong in their auction of In Pursuit of Refinement: A Legacy of The Y C Chen Collection, 29th May 2013, lot 1922, 46-49 and front cover.
- The attributes of the Eight Daoist Immortals are the fan of Chongli Quan; the gourd and iron crutch of Li Tieguai; the fish drum, a bamboo tube with two metal beaters, of Zhang Guolao; the lotus of He Xiang; the basket of flowers of Lan Caihe; the sword and fly-whisk of Lü Dongbin; the pair of clappers of Cao Guojiu and the flute of Han These attributes first appeared on porcelain during the Yongzheng reign and became a very popular decorative motif during the Qianlong period.
Condition
Overall in excellent condition, without any chips,crcaks,or restoration.
Similar Items
26 - M4491/2
Pair of Chinese imperial porcelain lavender-glazed altar vessels and covers, dou, each modelled after an archaic bronze with moulded and carved archaic designs, the upright body with ribs and bands all on a splayed, ribbed foot, the cover with a design of scrolls, fretwork and two registers of stylised waves beneath a double-rope twist openwork finial, covered overall including the interior and underside in a luminous, rich and even lavender glaze, all the rims dressed in brown in veneration of the archaic prototype.
The interior of the cover and the underside of the base of each with a six-character sealmark of Qianlong and of the period, 1736-1795.
9 ¾ inches, 24.8 cm and 9 ⅞ inches, 25.1 cm high.
23 - M1407
Chinese imperial porcelain doucai tripod censer, san zu lu, painted on the body with the Eight Buddhist Emblems, bajixiang, each ribbon tied amongst scrolling lotus and peony flowerheads on branches with scrolls and leaves, beneath a yellow ground ruyi-head band, between two curved openwork handles with open-winged iron-red bats and aubergine bats at the terminals, the flat sides with keyfret, with a lotus flowerhead interlinked branch on the neck above a green-washed band, the relief galleried rim with iron-red keyfret, all on three cabriole feet with flowerheads and branches linked by ruyi-heads, above further keyfret at the foot.
The rim with a six-character sealmark of Qianlong written in a line within a double rectangle in underglaze blue and of the period, 1736-1795.
11 ⅛ inches, 28.3 cm total height.
M4703
Chinese imperial porcelain celadon glazed deep bowl with flared rim, carved on the exterior with six camellia flowers on a continuous scrolling branch with leaves, covered overall and extending on the interior and base with a luminous celadon glaze.
The base with a six-character mark of Yongzheng within a double ring with underglaze blue and of the period.
8 ¾, inches, 20.3 cm diameter.
