THE PROPERTY OF A LADY
A FINE AND VERY RARE PAIR OF CELADON AND GILT-DECORATED VASES

Details
A FINE AND VERY RARE PAIR OF CELADON AND GILT-DECORATED VASES
GILT QIANLONG SEAL MARKS AND OF THE PERIOD

Each pear-shaped vase rising to a waisted neck flanked with pairs of moulded mythical beast handles suspending rings in their teeth, the pale celadon body decorated in archaistic style in gilt with stylized 'S' scrolls terminating with dragon heads to the front and back flanked by similarly scrolled phoenix beneath the handles, all amid bat-form clouds and above stiff lotus lappets at the base and a classic scoll and dotted borders around the foot, the neck with a band of overlapped ruyi, a broad wave-pattern band and stiff plantain leaves below the fret border on the cupped rim
10 5/8 in. (27 cm.) high, stands, box (2)

Lot Essay

Previously sold in Hong Kong, 26 October 1993, lot 291.

No other examples of this design appear to be recorded.

There is a small group of Qianlong monochromes which are inspired by either moulded, carved or gilt archaistic designs of Western Zhou date. Compare to the early bronze examples illustrated by Watson, Ancient Chinese Bronzes, nos. 52 and 53; both have heavy but symmetrical looping decoration similar to that found on this group, and the sinuous bands around the necks.

A related porcelain example from the Stephen D. Winkworth and Robert Chang Collections, is illustrated by Jenyns, Later Chinese Porcelain, pl. C, fig. 2 and in the special Exhibition of Important Chinese Ceramics from the Robert Chang Collection held at Christie's London, 1993, Catalogue, no. 72. A vase with a pale lavender glaze from the Warre Collection was included in the International Exhibtion of Chinese Art, London, 1935, Catalogue, no. 228; a double-handled soft-paste vase with a creamy-white glaze decorated in crisp shallow relief with archaistic coiled dragons in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is illustrated by Valenstein, A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, pl. 163; both have similar carving and Qianlong marks. A Yongzheng celadon vase of the same pattern from the Soames Collection was included in the London O.C.S. Exhbition of Monochrome Porcelain, 1948, Catalogue, no. 81; another near identical vase in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong, no. 115.

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