A BLUE AND WHITE MING-STYLE FLOWER-HOLDER, QIANLONG MARK AND PERIOD

Expert's note:
In an article discussing an exhibition by S. Marchant & Son by D. S. Freedman, "Qing Mark and Period Monochrome and Two-coloured Wares", Arts of Asia, May-June 1992, p. 147, related examples of similar form are referred to as “lotus pod bulb pots,” an understandable but quite unique description. The author further explains that blue and white designs may fall under the category of monochromes as they feature a one-color design on a white ground. These differing taxonomies from the 1992 article to today are quite notable, leaving ample room for undiscovered pieces that may still be hidden in private and public collections.

China, 1736-1795. Superbly potted, the compressed pear-shaped body supported on a short foot and rising to a waisted neck surmounted by a slightly domed top in the form of a lotus pod pierced with three circular apertures. The exterior is exquisitely decorated in shades of cobalt blue with lotus blossoms and auspicious blooms borne on leafy scrolling vines, above a lappet band encircling the foot and below a band of floral sprays below the top, which is similarly decorated with lotus scroll, all framed by neatly applied double-line borders.

The recessed base with an underglaze-blue six-character seal mark da Qing Qianlong nianzhi and of the period.


Provenance:
From a private family collection in Cheltenham, United Kingdom.

Condition:
Superb condition with only minor wear and minimal firing irregularities, the interior with some traces of use.

Weight: 252.9 g
Dimensions: Diameter 8.4 cm, Height 6.5 cm


Vessels of this form
, variously described as ‘flower holders’ or ‘incense holders’, have been recorded from both the Yongzheng and Qianlong periods. The shape was likely inspired by a type of jarlet, made in bronze and pottery, which was popular during the Tang dynasty (see a sancai-glazed pottery jar from the Erwin Harris collection at Christie’s New York, 16 March 2017, lot 877). The Qing potters took this design to new heights with variations in glazes from simple, crackled monochromes to brilliant turquoise examples with slip-molded decoration. While the size of the Qing form tended to remain small, usually under 9 cm, this should not allow them to be overshadowed by larger porcelain works of the period. The compact size would have allowed for easier handling and transport, making them suitable for personal devotion, private altars, and carrying during travel, creating a sense of intimacy and personal connection when using incense to cultivate a relationship with the divine realm. There are few other porcelain works that one could take on a pilgrimage so easily.


Literature comparison:

For two related examples of similar form, see Robert Jacobsen, Ye Peilan, and Julian Thompson, Imperial Perfection: The Palace Porcelain of Three Chinese Emperors, Kangxi - Yongzheng - Qianlong, Hong Kong, 2004, pp. 240, nos. 74 & 95. Celadon-glazed examples of similar form are illustrated in Monochrome Porcelain, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, vol. 37, Hong Kong, 1999, no. 187, and Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994, vol. 2, no. 869.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Near identical
Auction: Sotheby’s Paris, 16 June 2022, lot 204
Price: EUR 30,240 or approx.
EUR 31,500
adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A small blue and white 'floral' vase, Seal mark and period of Qianlong
Expert remark: Compare the near identical form, decoration, and size (8.3 cm). Note that the present lot boasts an even more accomplished decoration as well as a stronger mark. Also note that this lot has a faint 1.5 cm hairline in the glaze between two of the holes on top of the vase, whereas the present lot is in perfect condition.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s, Hong Kong, 30 May 2022, lot 2715
Price: HKD 2,016,000 or approx.
EUR 239,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A carved celadon-glazed flower-holder, Qianlong six-character seal mark and of the period
Expert remark: Both this example and the current lot have an extremely compressed form, and while the overall decoration is noticeably different, the molded decoration of the celadon example closely follows the underglaze blue decoration of the current lot. Note the size (7.8 cm).




乾隆款及年代仿明代風格青花花插


中國, 1736-1795年。壺身呈梨形，胎體緊致精美，長頸，腹部扁圓，短圈足。頂部呈蓮蓬狀，上有三個圓孔。外壁青花描繪纏枝蓮紋，頂部同樣飾有纏枝蓮紋。瓶口和頸部雙弦紋。圈足内青花“大清乾隆年製”六字款。


專家注釋：
D. S. Freedman和S. Marchant & Son 一篇相關的討論文章中，〈Qing Mark and Period Monochrome and Two-coloured Wares〉，《亞洲藝術》，1992 年 5 月至 6 月，頁147，類似形式的相關例子被稱為“蓮蓬球罐”，這是一個可以理解但非常獨特的描述。作者進一步解釋說，青花設計屬於單色範疇，因為它們具有“白地單色設計”的特點。 從 1992 年的文章到今天，這些不同的分類法非常引人注目，為可能仍隱藏在私人和公共收藏中的未被發現的作品留下了充足的空間。


來源：
英國切爾滕納姆的私人收藏。

品相：
品相極佳，僅有輕微磨損，輕微燒製不規則，內部有一些使用痕跡。

重量：252.9 克
尺寸：直徑 8.4 厘米, 高 6.5 厘米


這種形式的器皿
，被稱為“花插”或“香插”，在雍正和乾隆時期都有記載。其形狀可能受到唐代流行的一種由青銅和陶器製成的罐子的啟發（參見紐約佳士得Erwin Harris收藏的三彩釉陶罐，2017年3月16日，拍品877）。清代陶藝家將這種設計推向了新的高度，釉色從簡單的、有開片的單色​​釉到綠松石綠色釉。雖然清代瓷器的尺寸往往較小，通常在 9 厘米以下，小尺寸更容易運輸，適合個人攜帶。


專家注釋：
D.S. Freedman 1992年發表的一篇關於清代單色釉的文章中，類似形式的相關例子被稱為“蓮蓬球罐”，這是一個可以理解但非常獨特的描述。 作者進一步解釋說，藍色和白色設計屬於單色範疇，因為它們具有“白地單色設計”的特點。 從 1992 年的文章到今天，這些不同的分類法非常引人注目，為可能仍隱藏在私人和公共收藏中的未被發現的作品留下了充足的空間。


文獻比較：


兩件相近外形，見Robert Jacobsen，Ye Peilan和Julian Thompson，《Imperial Perfection: The Palace Porcelain of Three Chinese Emperors，Kangxi - Yongzheng - Qianlong》，香港，2004年，頁240，編號74 & 95。一件相近的青釉花插，見《故宮博物院藏文物精品集‧顏色釉》，卷37，香港，1999年，編號187，以及Regina Krahl，《Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection》，倫敦，1994年，卷2，編號869。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：幾乎相同
拍賣：巴黎蘇富比，2022年6月16日，lot 204
價格：EUR 30,240（相當於今日
EUR 31,500
）
描述：清乾隆青花花卉紋瓶 《大清乾隆年製》款
專家評論：比較幾乎相同外形、裝飾和尺寸 (8.3 釐米)。請注意，本拍品的裝飾更加精美，款識也更明顯。 另請注意，該拍品在花瓶頂部兩個孔之間的釉面有一條微弱的 1.5 厘米髮絲線，而本拍品狀況完美。


拍賣結果比較：


形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2022年5月30日，lot 2715
價格：HKD 2,016,000（相當於今日
EUR 239,000
）
描述：清乾隆粉青釉刻纏枝蓮紋花插六字篆書款
專家評論：此花插與本拍品形制極為壓縮，雖然整體紋飾有明顯差異，但此花插的造型紋飾與本拍品的釉裡藍紋飾較為接近。請注意尺寸 (7.8 釐米)。