QIANLONG INCISED FOUR-CHARACTER MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)

Details

A SMALL CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL BOTTLE VASE
QIANLONG INCISED FOUR-CHARACTER MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)
The vase is finely enamelled around the globular body with a main band of scrolling lotus between ruyi-heads. The tall cylindrical neck is decorated with lotus and flower scrolls, all on a sapphire-blue ground. The gilt base is incised with the reign mark in a horizontal line, above the character xin.
5 in. (12.7 cm.)

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Lot Essay

The additional inscription seen on some Qing cloisonné enamel pieces is discussed by Brinker and Lutz in Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, New York, 1989. This inscription may appear as a single number between one and five or as an obscure character indicating the vessel's usage and category. This extra character is also seen on some imperial glass wares and is believed by some scholars to be a serial number taken from the Chinese classic Qianziwen, 'The One Thousand Word Essay'.

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