19TH CENTURY

Details

A Chinese famille rose large bottle vase
19th Century
Finely enamelled in a rich famille rose palette, iron-red and gilt and moulded in low and high relief with the 'Hundred Antiques' Bo-Gu, including symbols, variously shaped vases and censers, flowering and fruiting branches, stands and tables, all scattered evenly on the pear-shaped body surmounted by a wide cylindrical neck, chip
54cm. high, with detachable lamp mount, sold without shade

Provenance

Acquired by Baron Etienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt van de Haar (1860-1934) and his wife Baroness Hélène de Rothchild (1864-1947), and thence by descent to their grandson Baron Thierry van Zuylen van Nijevelt van de Haar, sold at Kasteel de Haar, Christie's Amsterdam, 13 October 1998, lot 98.

Special notice

Christie's charges a Buyer's premium calculated at 20.825% of the hammer price for each lot with a value up to €90,000 (NLG 198.334). If the hammer price of a lot exceeds €90,000 then the hammer price of a lot is calculated at 20.825% of the first €90,000 plus 11.9% of any amount in excess of €90,000. Buyer's Premium is calculated on this basis for each lot individually.

Lot Essay

The 'Hundred Antiques' was a polular subject matter in China and was often applied on decorative objects. It conveyed the deep interest that the Chinese held for their ancient culture, depicting objects symbolising the arts, religion, and scholarship. The word 'Hundred' should not be interpreted literally but rather as the multiplicity of the symbols used.

For a definition of 'Hundred Antiques', see: C.A.S. Williams, Outlines of Chinese Symbolism & Art Motives, p.228, verbatim: 'The group known as the hundred (i.e. sundry or various) antiques is a miscellaneous or general collection of emblematic forms comprising the Eight Treasures, the Four Treasures, the symbols of the four fine arts, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, together with numerous conventional representations of sacrificial vessels, flowers, animals, etc.; or any small-decorative motives which do not fall under any particular classification.'

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