QIANLONG SIX-CHARACTER SEAL MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)

The motif of nine dragons appears to be more commonly found on blue and white wares of this period, such as a smaller vase in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze-Red (III), The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum., Hong Kong, p. 132, no. 118; and a broad-shouldered vase sold at Christie’s London, 11 May 2010, lot 210. It is interesting however, to compare to a Jiaqing-marked vase of a very similar design and shape in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Lord Jiaqing and the Journey to Taiwan: A Special Exhibition on Cultural Artifacts of the Qing Emperor Renzong, Taipei, 2016, pp. 286-7, pl. III-36, suggesting that this vase was probably made towards the later part of the Qianlong reign.