A PAIR OF BLUE AND WHITE ‘LOTUS’ MALLET VASES, KANGXI PERIODChina, 1662-1722. Rising from a splayed foot to a broad rounded shoulder and long slender neck, finely painted in cobalt blue with lotus blossoms borne on leafy scrolling vines framed by double line borders around the foot and rim. The recessed bases each with a double circle mark in underglaze blue. (2)Provenance: Austrian trade.Condition: Good condition with minor wear and firing irregularities including dark spots and pitting, one vase with a repaired crack to the upper rim.Weight: 551.2 g and 536.7 gDimensions: Height 25.4 cm and 25.2 cmExpert’s note: During the early Qing dynasty, up until the 1680s, conditions were unsettled in China and the making of Imperial wares as well as the use of reign marks on porcelain was restricted in various ways. During this period, different types of other marks came into use, including empty double circles. The usage of some of these marks continued well into the later Kangxi era and then started again in the 19th century, mostly on Kangxi revival pieces.Auction resultparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Sotheby’s Melbourne, 22 November 2006, lot 369Price: AUD 24,000 or approx.EUR 23,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A large blue and white squat baluster vase, Kangxi periodExpert remark:pare the closely related dense scrolling lotus design. Note the larger size (43 cm) and that this listing is for a single vase only.康熙一對青花纏枝蓮紋長頸瓶中國，1662-1722年。長頸，豐肩，足外撇；青花描繪纏枝蓮紋，圈足内青花雙圈款。 (2)