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Lot Essay
No other example of this shape moulded with such an unusual 'lotus-pod'-shaped head appears to be published, although three closely related vessels are known. Two of these are small celadon-glazed Yongzheng-marked flower holders, each modelled with three circular apertures on the top of the closed mouth: the first, in the National Palace Museum, Taibei, illustrated in Monochrome Porcelains of the Ch'ing Dynasty, 1981, p. 129, no. 93 (8 cm. high); and the other illustrated by R. Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. II, p. 212, pl. 869 (7.8 cm. high). The third example is an unmarked lavender-blue-glazed baluster vase, dated to early 18th century, illustrated by R. Krahl, op. cit., vol. II, p. 195, pl. 846; where the closed mouth has four apertures.
It is very rare to find vases from the Jiaqing period of such fine quality, excellently moulded in a decorative style more commonly associated with monochrome vessels of the Yongzheng period. Compare with a Yongzheng-marked pale celadon-glazed vase, illustrated by J. Ayers, Chinese Ceramics in the Baur Collection, vol. 2, 1999, p. 174, no. 278, A362. The Baur example has a plain body applied with a pair of moulded mock ring-handles and a tall slim neck, the periphery of the mouthrim is decorated with moulded elongated lotus petals. This shape also appear with moulded design, such as the Yongzheng-mark vase, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Kangxi Yongzheng Qianlong, p. 270, pl. 99; and again in Ceramic Art of the World, vol. 15, 1983, Shogakukan, p. 197, no. 264. The body of the Beijing vase is moulded with randomly designed archaistic dragons and phoenixes, as oppose to the deliberately proportioned confronted phoenixes as on the present vase. This formalised archaistic style probably continued from the Qianlong period, cf. a celadon-glazed vase designed with pairs of moulded confronted archaistic dragons in the Chang Foundation, illustrated in Selected Chinese Ceramics from Han to Qing Dynasties, p. 346, no. 154; and a light turquoise-glazed meiping, in the Baur collection, illustrated by J. Ayers, op. cit., p. 221, no. 324, A657.
It is very rare to find vases from the Jiaqing period of such fine quality, excellently moulded in a decorative style more commonly associated with monochrome vessels of the Yongzheng period. Compare with a Yongzheng-marked pale celadon-glazed vase, illustrated by J. Ayers, Chinese Ceramics in the Baur Collection, vol. 2, 1999, p. 174, no. 278, A362. The Baur example has a plain body applied with a pair of moulded mock ring-handles and a tall slim neck, the periphery of the mouthrim is decorated with moulded elongated lotus petals. This shape also appear with moulded design, such as the Yongzheng-mark vase, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Kangxi Yongzheng Qianlong, p. 270, pl. 99; and again in Ceramic Art of the World, vol. 15, 1983, Shogakukan, p. 197, no. 264. The body of the Beijing vase is moulded with randomly designed archaistic dragons and phoenixes, as oppose to the deliberately proportioned confronted phoenixes as on the present vase. This formalised archaistic style probably continued from the Qianlong period, cf. a celadon-glazed vase designed with pairs of moulded confronted archaistic dragons in the Chang Foundation, illustrated in Selected Chinese Ceramics from Han to Qing Dynasties, p. 346, no. 154; and a light turquoise-glazed meiping, in the Baur collection, illustrated by J. Ayers, op. cit., p. 221, no. 324, A657.