M4733and4

One in excellent condition, one with small body crack and some small restoration.

• Formerly in a private American collection.

For a similar example illustrated in colour, dated from the Yongzheng period, see Chinese Ceramics in Private Collections, Hobson, Rackham & King, colour plate. 24, where the authors note ‘the most important example of this class of famille rose in Mr. Holt’s collection is a lantern in egg-shell porcelain of hexagonal form with perforated diaper-ornament (see colour-plate No. 24).’ For another similar lantern with figures in the medallions, see Collection of Old Chinese Porcelains Formed by George R. Davies, Esq. Formerly of Hartford, Cheshire, and Now of Parton, N.B., purchased by Gorer and exhibited at the galleries of Dreicer & Co. (Jewels) 560 Fifth Avenue, New York, 1913, colour plate XXIII, where the author notes ‘the whole shows most graceful and exquisite workmanship and the porcelain is of fine egg-shell. A great example.’ Another two similar examples are included by Bushell & Laffan in Catalogue of the Morgan Collection of Chinese Porcelains, 1907, p. 13, pl. XLIV. Another pair were sold by Christie’s New York in their auction of Collected in America: Chinese Ceramics from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 15th September 2016, lot 941. For another similar pair, each facet with floral medallions, see Collection of Old Chinese Porcelains Formed by Richard Bennett, Esq. Thornby Hall, Northampton, colour plate 319, where they are described as ‘unique and superb specimens. Yongzheng period.’ Another similar lantern missing its upper gallery and foot, in the collection of the Lady Lever Art Gallery, is illustrated in the exhibition of The Arts of the Ch’ing Dynasty, 1964, in Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society, vol. 35, 1963-64, no. 226, plate 75, p. 65.