CHINA, QING DYNASTY, YONGZHENG SIX-CHARACTER SEAL MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF THE PERIOD (1723-1735)

The beauty of Song-dynasty glazes was greatly admired by the emperors of the Qing dynasty, and the potters at the imperial Jingdezhen kilns were charged with the task of reproducing these glazes on porcelain. The glaze seen on this elegantly potted vase is an interpretation of Guan ware, one of the most highly sought after and treasured wares of the Song dynasty. The mallet shape is also based on Song-dynasty prototypes, such as the Longquan celadon ‘kinuta’ vase, Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279), sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 26 November 2018, lot 8007.

Other Song-dynasty inspired glazes on mallet-shaped vases were emulated during the Yongzheng reign. A Ge-type example with straight neck, Yongzheng six-character seal mark and of the period, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 November 2013, lot 3201, and another is illustrated by Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Ceramics in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1964, p. 75, no. 194.