A PAIR OF CLOISONNE ENAMEL 'DOUBLE-GOURD' VASES

2 More

PROPERTY OWNED BY THE DE ROTHSCHILD FAMILY FROM THE EXBURY HOUSE TRUST (LOT 95 AND 156)Alfred was the second son of Baron Lionel de Rothschild (1808-1879) and grandson to Nathan Mayer de Rothschild (1771-1836). His father Baron Lionel was a passionate art collector with a wonderful collection of Old Master paintings and Renaissance works of art. On his death his collection was divided between his three sons, Nathaniel, Leopold and Alfred. Alfred continued adding to the collection and his fabled collections at One Seamore Place, London and at Halton House, Buckinghamshire were recorded in a series of photographs by the Royal Photographer S.G. Payne in 1888, much of which was recorded in a privately printed catalogue published in 1884 by the art dealer Charles Davis. The works subsequently passed by descent to Lionel de Rothschild (1882-1942), who moved the collection to Exbury House, Hampshire and thence to Edmund de Rothschild (1916-2009).

A PAIR OF CLOISONNE ENAMEL 'DOUBLE-GOURD' VASES

QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

Details

A PAIR OF CLOISONNE ENAMEL 'DOUBLE-GOURD' VASES
QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)
Each vase is finely enamelled to the upper and lower registers with four pairs of circular cartouches enclosing the two characters da ji that may be translated as 'great auspiciousness', in reserve on a dark blue fretwork, all against an overall turquoise ground further embellished with bats, flower heads and double gourds hung from leafy stems. The vases are supported on later gilt metal metals
14 1/8 in. (36 cm.) high

Provenance

The collection of Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918)

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Kate Hunt Director, Head of Department

khunt@christies.com +44 (0) 20 7752 3389

Lot Essay

The decoration on these vases includes many auspicious symbols. The double-gourd is associated with Daoism, as it is the attribute of the immortal Li Tieguai; it is also symbolic of prosperity and abundance, and in particular, an abundance of male children. This theme of abundance is reinforced by the characters, da ji, 'great auspiciousness', in enamel.

More from Important Chinese Art

View All