A RARE CLOISONNE ENAMEL AND GILT-BRONZE 'GARLIC-MOUTH' VASE WITH RUYI HANDLES

FIRST HALF OF THE 18TH CENTURY

Details

A RARE CLOISONNE ENAMEL AND GILT-BRONZE 'GARLIC-MOUTH' VASE WITH RUYI HANDLES
FIRST HALF OF THE 18TH CENTURY
The body decorated with leafy branches bearing large shaded pink and purple peony blooms reserved on a 'cracked ice' ground, below a ruyi band on the shoulder and scrolling chrysanthemum sprays on the waisted neck, all beneath further ruyi heads enclosing bats encircling the small upper bulb, with a pair of ruyi sceptre-form handles decorated with foliate scrolls and wan motifs
10½ in. (26.8 cm.) high

Lot Essay

The shape of this vase is quite rare in cloisonné enamel, as is the rather realistic depiction of the peonies. Both the shape and style of decoration may be based on famille rose porcelain examples, such as the vase illustrated by W.G. Gulland, Chinese Porcelain, London, 1918, vol. II, pl. 688, which is decorated with flowers and butterflies. A cloisonné vase of this shape and size, decorated with various realistic flowers and with a pair of ruyi sceptre handles was sold Sotheby's, New York, 23 March 2004, lot 526.

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