Lot 17. A finely painted doucai'Five Bats' dish, Yongzheng mark and period (1723-1735). Diameter 6 1/8  in., 15.5 cm. Estimate 60,000 — 80,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's

finely potted, the rounded sides rising from a slightly tapered foot, decorated in the center with five iron-red bats fluttering around a gnarled peach tree, issuing from the side of a cliff above a green sea with crested waves breaking over jagged rocks, the exterior with four fruiting sprigs each enclosing a stylized shou character within a flowerhead, alternating with pairs of confronted iron-red bats, the base with a six-character reign mark in underglaze blue within double circles

Provenance: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 5th November 1997, lot 1501. 

Note: The scene depicted on this dish represents the seventh trial of Zhao Sheng, a disciple of the Eastern Han dynasty Celestial Master Zhang Daoling (AD 134-156) who is credited with founding the Way of the Celestial Masters sect of Daoism. This theme of testing the faith of Zhao Sheng is also captured in the famous Eastern Jin painter Gu Kaizhi’s ‘Account of Painting the Cloud Terrace Mountain’, preserved in Zhang Yanyuan’s Record of Famous Paintings of All the Dynasties (AD 847). Zhang Daoling told his disciples that he would reveal the essence of the Way to those who could obtain peaches from a peach tree growing sideways from a steep cliff. Only Zhao Sheng had the courage to carry out the task and he returned with a peach from the tree. While the rendition of this story on the present dish excludes the figures and how they should be depicted in Gu Kaizhi’s instructions, it retains his description of a lofty cliff overlooking a deep ravine and the peach tree that grows sideways from it. The additional inclusion of the five red bats heightens the auspiciousness of the scene while increasing the supernatural element of the story.

A closely related dish, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, is illustrated in Rose Kerr, Porcelain of the Qing Dynasty 1644-1911, London, 1986, pl. 86; one from the Hugh Moss collection first sold at Christie’s New York, 15th September 2011, lot 1548, and again in our Hong Kong rooms, 7th April 2015, lot 3667; another sold in the same rooms 4th April 2012, lot 3181; and a pair of dishes from the E.T. Chow collection, also sold in those rooms, 19th May 1981, lot 557. Another dish of this type is illustrated in Terese Tse Bartholomew, Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art, San Francisco, 2006, p. 221, no. 7.55, where the author explains that the iconography refers to the double birthday greetings, ‘May your blessing be as deep as the Eastern Sea, and may you live to be as old as the Southern Mountain’.

Dish, porcelain painted with bats and peaches in enamels, China, Yongzheng mark and period, 1723-1735. Diameter: 15.5 cm. Macnaghten Bequest, FE.15-1970 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London 2017. 

A rare doucai 'Five Bats' saucer dish, Mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735), 15.3 cm., 6 in. Sold for 1,000,000 HKD (118,859 EUR) at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 7th April 2015, lot 3667. Photo: Sotheby's

A doucai and iron-red 'Five Bats' saucer dish, Mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735), 16.6 cm., 6 1/2 in. Sold for 740,000 HKD at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 4th April 2012, lot 3181. Photo: Sotheby's

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 Sep 2017, 10:00 AM

Lot 18. A fine and rare doucai conical 'Dragon' bowl, Yongzheng seal mark and period (1723-1735). Diameter 8 in., 20.4 cm. Estimate 200,000 — 300,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's

finely potted, with wide flared sides rising from a short straight foot, brilliantly enameled to the exterior with two five-clawed dragons, one in yellow and the other in green, each in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl', leaping out from a band of turbulent crested waves, and amidst multi-colored cloud scrolls and flame scrolls, the base with an archaistic six-character seal mark in underglaze blue. 

Note: Exquisitely painted with two dynamic five-clawed dragons with gaping mouths and flaring nostrils, this bowl embodies the Yongzheng Emperor’s great passion for exacting designs and innovative shapes as well as his insistence on outstanding quality. Particularly coveted for their painterly designs, bowls modeled with steep flaring sides to accommodate a similarly-shaped cover were an innovation of the Yongzheng period and are often attributed to the first years of the reign on account of their reign mark. The present bowl is a particularly notable example of this group, as it bears an archaistic mark which is exceptionally rare and was seldom used throughout the reign.

Yongzheng reign marks have been studied in detail by Peter Y.K. Lam, who suggests that since the character qing (great) on late Kangxi porcelain is written with the yue (moon) radical rendered with a vertical line, Yongzheng marks with the same characteristic can be ascribed to the early years to the Yongzheng reign (see Peter Y.K. Lam, ‘Four Studies on Yongzheng and Qianlong Imperial Ware’, Ethereal Elegance. Porcelain Vases of the Imperial Qing. The Huaihaitang collection, Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2007, p. 53). As a result, the present mark and the six-character standard script mark more commonly found on bowls of this type, both of which feature a vertical line on the yueradical of the qing character, were probably used simultaneously, although the former in rare cases. 

Bowls of this design but with a reign mark written in standard script are held in important private and museum collections worldwide. A bowl and cover in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Qing Porcelain of Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong from the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989, p. 201, pl. 30; a pair in the Nanjing Museum, Nanjing, was included in the exhibition Qing Imperial Porcelain of the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong Reigns, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1995, cat. no. 52; a single bowl in the British Museum, London, is published in R.L. Hobson, The Later Ceramic Wares of China, London, 1925, pl. LV, fig. 1. 

See also two doucai dishes with a similar archaistic Yongzheng reign mark, each painted with a qilin above waves, sold in our Hong Kong rooms; the first from the British Rail Pension Fund and now in the Chang Foundation, Taipei, illustrated in James Spencer, Selected Chinese Ceramics from Han to Qing Dynasties, Taipei, 1990, pl. 140, sold, 27th November 1975, lot 33, and again, 16th May 1989, lot 55, and the second sold, 11th June 1991, lot 246, and again at Christie’s Hong Kong, 31st March 1992, lot 619.

Lot 27. A doucai'lotus' bowl, Daoguang seal mark and period (1821-1850). Diameter 5 in., 12.6 cm. Estimate 8,000 — 12,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's

the deep rounded sides rising from a slightly tapered foot, the exterior decorated with three detached lotus sprays, each detailed with two blossoms borne on a stylized leafy foliate stem, the interior with a central medallion enclosing a further lotus spray, the base with a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 Sep 2017, 10:00 AM

Sassanian Silver Gilt Ewer with a Foliate Design, 6th-7th century C.E. Silver gilt, H. 35.9 cm. © Miho Museum

Most Sasanian silver ewers are decorated with figural designs rather than with overall plant motifs of the type that cover the body of this impressive late Sasanian work.1 Only on Islamic ewers and vases of the eighth and ninth centuries is such a uniform ornamental scheme commonly found. An Islamic bronze ewer from Dagestan in the Caucasus region--and now in The Hermitage, Saint Petersburg--is decorated with a stylized plant motif that is somewhat similar to the floral pattern on the present ewer.2 

The Shumei example is the standard Sasanian form of ewer, differing in shape and proportions from early Islamic vessels. The decoratively articulated band around the neck and the animal heads serving as the terminals of the handle are features that are paralleled on Sasanian ewers in other museum collections. Less realistic than the animals--probably asses--are the flowers enclosed within the undulating lines. This curvilinear pattern is reminiscent of the decoration on a ewer depicted on the Sasanian rock relief of Khosro II (r. A.D. 591-628) at Taq-i Bostan.3 There, the goddess Nahid (Anahita) holds a ewer from which liquid--presumably her life-giving waters--pours. The body of the ewer is simply covered with sinuous lines in reference perhaps to the sweet waters flowing from the vessel. 

The regularity of the decoration on the Shumei ewer, beautifully highlighted against a gilded background, resembles the patterns on precious silks. By the late sixth and the seventh century in Byzantium, as well as in late Sasanian Iran, these textiles had considerable influence on works in other mediums. 

On many different levels--size, material, decoration, and imagery--this impressive silver-gilt vessel is exceptional and strikingly illustrates the luxury and prosperity of the late Sasanian world.

POH

Sassanian Silver Gilt Vase with Dancing Female Figures, 6th century C.E. Silver gilt, H. 18.1 cm. © Miho Museum

This slender, pear-shaped vase, with a vertical rim, narrow neck, beaded collar, and flat foot, is decorated with four nude dancing female figures, each of whom turns, in a three-quarter pose, toward one of the figures adjacent to her, thus forming two pairs of figures. The body of the vessel has been shaped into four contiguous oval surfaces that serve as frames for the females. Between these ovals at the top and the bottom, are small rosettes. The curving line of the hammered surface above the head of each figure gives the impression of an arch--an architectural feature that is often carefully represented on other Sasanian vases and ewers decorated with dancing females. 

In their hands--one of which is raised and the other lowered--the female figures carry a standard set of objects: flowers, bowls of fruit, a jeweled necklace, and a situla, or pail. An unusual detail on this vessel is the hatched ovoid object held by the figure who also grasps the handle of the situla. 

Interpretations of such scenes of dancing nude and draped females, which appear on Sasanian silver vases and ewers and, more rarely, on plates, are uncertain. The images are often compared to representations of the maenads of Dionysos found in the art of the Hellenistic and Roman worlds, but the significance of the subject in a Sasanian context is not clear. The females and the attributes they hold also resemble depictions of the Seasons and the Months in Roman art, and there may be an intended reference on the Sasanian objects to the seasonal festivals described in literary sources as occurring at specific times during the Zoroastrian calendrical year.1 Sasanian silver vessels decorated with the motif of dancing female figures were undoubtedly luxury objects, prized possessions of the nobility used at court banquets and celebrations.

POH 

1. See Harper 1971, pp. 503-16.

Sassanian Elliptical Silver Gilt Bowl with a Vine Scroll, 6th-7th century B.C.E. Silver gilt, W. 13.3 cm. © Miho Museum

The elliptical bowl is one of two standard forms of drinking vessel. In Middle Persian the shape was known as a "boat vessel"--a term inscribed on one example of the type.1 while variations of the elliptical bowl form from the third millennium B.C. are known in the Near East, the Sasanian silver vessel, without a foot and with a somewhat crescentic profile, is a distinctive shape of the sixth and the seventh centuries A.D. Two examples of silver elliptical bowls have come from archaeological excavations at Susa and at Qasr-i Abu Nasr in southern Iran. 

The decoration on the exterior of the Shumei bowl is characteristically Sasanian. Grapevines and ornamental scrolls cover the surface. In the field in between the tendrils are four creatures: a pheasant, a fox, a jackal, and a saluki, or hunting dog. A small guinea fowl appears in a central medallion. References to animals of the hunt and game park as well as to grapevines are appropriate on a luxury vessel undoubtedly used at court banquets and festivities. The design is in relief, the background having been carved away and covered with gilding. Beneath the rim is a band of beading and a half-palmette pattern. 

The floral and figural motifs are laid out in an ordered, nearly symmetrical fashion that is typical of Sasanian decorative arts. There are minor variations in the fantastic foliage--specifically, in the appearance of the pairs of cone-shaped elements.

POH 

1. See Gignoux 1984, no. 39; Harper 1988, pp. 331-45.

A Pair of Sassanian Silver Lidded Vessels, 5th-7th century C.E. Silver gilt, Weight: a. 475.03 g (526.83 g with lid); b. 527.23 g. H: a. 16.46 cm (18.4 cm with lid); b. 16.7 cm (without modern lid). © The George Ortiz Collection, Geneva.

The body roughly formed from a silver sheet cut into a disc and hammered into an approximate shape, excess silver cut off at the rim. For detailed analysis of the general technique see cat. no. 152. Repeatedly worked alternately repoussé from the inside and chased from the outside. The foot made separately and annealed on; on a., an inscription punched underneath. Extensively worked and chiselled in the cold; the gilding applied by the mercury technique; the gilded parts carefully burnished both to strengthen their adherence and for visual effect; the silver neck and rim burnished and polished. The lid made up of three parts: a hammered metal disc with the motifs chiselled in, but in relief as the rest of the surface is hammered back; its underside with a circular strip - hammered, cut, joined and soldered onto it - enabling insertion into the neck of the vessel; the knob made by hammering and cutting with a tang inserted through a hole in the lid and flattened underneath. Gilding, burnishing and polishing as for body.

Condition: a. vessel cleaned but traces of limestone deposit on neck, mouth and under foot, also some oxidized silver under foot. The gilding on the lid's knob, a pomegranate, three fifths covered with a green cuprous chloride, an emanation from the silver's copper content, its calyx slightly worn. b. vessel also cleaned but with limestone deposit on two of the birds, in a few other places and on rim of mouth. Missing, the lid, the present cover a modern replacement.

Vessel a. is the one on the right side of the plate.

These vessels for wine are unusual for being a true pair and most exceptionally one of them still has its original lid [2] surmounted with a pomegranate. One of the jars has an inscription on its underside, which unfortunately has not yet proved decipherable [3]. The shape is common, and many examples are to be found in American museums and private collections acquired over the past forty years [4]. The floral motifs would indicate an early date, probably in the 5th century. However lovely the decorative effect, the floral decoration with the addition of the little birds must have had a symbolic meaning, which unfortunately escapes us.

A Sassanian Silver Plate with Herakles and the Erymenthian Boar, 5th-7th century C.E. Silver partially gilt, Diam. 19.9 cm.; W. 500.53 grams.© The George Ortiz Collection, Geneva.

Made from a disc of silver sheet hammered [1] into shape, leaving a thickened rim. The emplacement for the relief parts are outlined, grooved out, the background roughened. The relief elements are solid and prepared by hammering; once inserted the joins are annealed. The whole is touched up in the cold; the flowers punched in, the details of the feline's skin and the decoration of the pot done with tracer and punch. Different parts are mercury-gilt: the edge of the dish, the wavy line for the ground and all the inlays save for the faces and necks of Herakles, Eurystheus and the latter's hands. The plate was then burnished and polished; its foot, a hammered ring of silver made from a strip, soldered on. 

Condition: the gilding worn in places. On the underside two long cracks, parts of which appear on the inside; also smaller cracks on the underside, one of which comes through on the feline's upper hind paw. Missing are the inlays of the boar's head, of most of Herakles' left arm and of a section of Eurystheus' left forearm. The plate slightly warped. 

This dish poses problems, for among the many known Sassanian silver plates it is unique for its iconography and style. It has been variously described and dated anywhere between Parthian, c. 200 A.D. [2], to possibly the region of Tabaristan (south of the Caspian Sea), 7th-8th century A.D. [3]. 

B. Marschak on a visit in June 1989 called the dish Sassanian to be placed in the 5th century A.D., during the last wave of classical influence from the west.

The illustration depicts one of Herakles' labours, where the hero carries on his shoulders the Erymanthian boar he has captured, to the courtyard of the palace of King Eurystheus. The king emerges from the pithos (grain-jar) where he has taken refuge, raising his arms, throwing his head back as he looks fearfully up at Herakles who intends to drop the boar onto him. On late Archaic Greek vases [4] we see the spirited expressions of Herakles and the king in conjunction with action, as the hero already has his left foot resting [5] on the edge of the jar ready to hurl the boar into it. On our dish, the scene has lost the vitality of action, it is decoration, it narrates an event devoid of emotional content almost as though a distant echo of a story whose real meaning has somewhat faded from memory. There are slight differences in detail from the Greek scenes. The jar, with its decoration [6] of cross-hatching with dots, rests on the ground, not buried with only its mouth visible. The wavy line for the ground, under Herakles' feet and the pot, sometimes finds its equivalent on Sassanian dishes in the form of rocks or a stylization such as the leaves at the bottom of a dish in New York [7] and the wavy decoration at the bottom of a late Sassanian plate also in New York [8]. Noteworthy are the features of Herakles and the king. Their noses differ, possibly representing racial differences [9]. Their faces show unquestioned quality of execution, whereas the feet and what is left of the hands a simple schematization. For an earlier dish, but somewhat akin in feeling, is a silver plate in Cleveland [10] of Anahita stepping similarly over the ground. 

In conclusion, may we remark that loot from Antioch at the time of Khusro I (A.D. 531-579) might have been the inspiration for a dish such as ours. 

Sassanian Silver Gilt Plate Depicting a Royal Lion Hunt, 5th century C.E. Silver gilt, D. 23 cm. © Miho Museum

Sassanian Silver Gilt Plate with a Royal Prince Holding a Mare, 4th-5th century B.C.E. Silver gilt, D. 30 cm.© Miho Museum

In the center of this large, imposing silver plate, there is a large figure of a man holding a mare, which nearly fills the plate. The crown on his head is ornamented with fluttering ribbons and a crescent. The man has wavy hair. The patterns on this plate are typical of Sasanian silver design, including the fluttering ribbons, the bead ornaments for the ear, the beard tied at the end, the rounded shoulder pad, the necktie with gobang pattern, the strip of decoration from the shoulder to the chest, fluttering thin pantaloons or leggings, and shoes decorated with ribbons. Judging from evidence such as the sheath of a sword which can be seen between the legs of the figure, and the shape of the crown, which is different from the shape of the crowns of kings found on Sasanian coins, it is thought that this figure represents a prince or an emir, rather than a king of Kings. 

The representation of the mare's joints and the muscles of the legs are typical of the period, but some points, including the untrimmed mane, loose, disheveled tail, and bare back are unusual, and cannot be seen in other examples from the time. 

The piece is thought to depict a scene in which a prince or an emir modeled in the image of a legendary hero is holding a mare. The scene is very different from scenes of royal hunting shown on many Sasanian silver plates. Iranian mythology and legends are said to have been compiled from around the Sasanian dynasty, but now are mostly lost. However, some stories may be found in the Iranian national epic "Shahnameh," mentioned sometime in the 10th century when the racial consciousness was high in the Islamic period, and from some other sources. Among these stories, there is a story of an important national hero Rostam and his future favorite horse Rakhsh.–1 This kind of silver plate might have been produced in the Sasanian period with the theme most probably taken from old legends of this kind. 

Rather thick fragments have been inlaid on the figure's upper right arm and below the elbow and also on the mare's head.–2 This method seems comparable to work from the early part of the Sasanian period. The style of the fluttering ribbons, and of the leggings with vertical lines and a soft appearance, is similar to the style found on a large plate, almost the same size as this one, with a royal hunting scene, from Sari, Northern Iran, attributed to the 4th century. However, this plate is thought to have derived from Kushano-Sasanian, Eastern Iran.–3

Sassanian Silver Gilt Plate with a Royal Hunt, 7th century C.E. Silver gilt, D. 20 cm.© Miho Museum

This extraordinary example of silver craftsmanship depicts the theme of the Sasanian royal hunt in a distinctively decorative style, almost totally filling the circular field with pictorial elements. In this highly conservative genre, the central image is always that of a ruler engaged in hunting on foot or, more commonly, on horseback. Earlier royal hunting plates tend to be simple compositions featuring the king and one or more animals of the same species; but later versions tend to be more complex and often include animals of differing types. In this example, a dead lion and a charging boar are seen beneath the body of the rearing horse. The royal huntsman holds his leg up to avoid the beast while thrusting a spear through its body. In an odd and totally unnaturalistic fashion, the spear, which is held only in his right hand, passes behind his body to stab the boar. Entering the scene on the right is a caparisoned elephant driven by a mahout. It is reminiscent of the elephants depicted herding wild beasts in a royal hunting scene carved in low relief on a side wall of the large rock-cut niche at Taq-i Bostan, created during the reign of Khosro II (r. A.D. 591-628). A small winged genius bearing a ribboned necklace flies toward the royal personage to bestow it on him as an emblem of victory. 

Hammering, carving, and chasing were techniques utilized to produce this work, without the addition of any separately made pieces to heighten the relief. This suggests a late date for its creation. Various technical characteristics such as the low relief and use of spot gilding are consistent with a late Sasanian date. A variety of sizes of circular punch marks decorate the hair, tied beard, diadem, necklace, chest halter, sword, belt, and other elements of the royal image. The long-tailed ribbons flying from the back of the diadem, the streamers from the back of the figure's chest halter, the scalloped edges of his diaphanous costume with parallel line and V-shaped wrinkles in the material shown here are characteristic of the remarkably consistent elements of royal imagery in silverwork repeated throughout the Sasanian era. The horse's harness is especially ornate, with emphasis given to the band of large high relief rosettes carved across his neck and rump. Even the tiny winged genius has been given a short-sleeved tunic with a dotted pattern. 

The headdress depicted on this plate is not recognizable as that of any known Sasanian ruler. The diadem with two bands of pearls and a crescent on the front is first depicted on royal busts from coin issues of first reign of Kavad I (488-97); but the body of the crown seems to be derived from a very rare curled-cap crown found on a few coins of earlier kings.1 These caps, however, do not have globes on the top, as do most official Sasanian crowns. Thus the crown worn by this figure appears to be made up of elements of several types. 

he composition of this plate is very close to that of a silver plate in the Museum fur Islamische Kunst, Berlin; although in this case a short javelin is held by the hunter in a convincing manner, and pointed at a bear standing behind a tree.2 In the Shumei plate the bear is replaced by the elephant and its driver. Also notable is the fact that the crown depicted on the Berlin plate is entirely different. Most puzzling, however, is the fact that the styles of the Berlin plate and the Shumei plate are unquestionably dissimilar. One possible solution to this problem could have been the use of a common prototype for both compositions. The Berlin plate was found in Armenia; but it is probable that drawings of silverwork designs circulated widely, making it possible for artisans from workshops in various locations to be similarly inspired. 

lthough the craftsmanship of this silver plate displays great skill, it is so highly syncretic in style that it does not fit comfortably within any of the stylistic categories of Sasanian silver plates proposed by Harper.3 Indeed, it may be the creation of a transitional era, not long before or after the fall of the Sasanian dynasty in the mid-seventh century, when oversight of official workshops had become slack or had come to an end, but at a time when high quality craftsmanship in silver might still be found, kept alive through private commissions of patrons nostalgic for reflections of a lost era of Sasanian royal glory. In fact, it might have been created to represent a Sasanian king from the distant past who, like Varahran V (Bahram Gur), became a subject of tales of heroic hunting exploits in later times. Legends such as these were part of an Iranian tradition surrounding the great deeds of its kings that survived long into the Islamic era to be crystallized in the epic of the Shah nameh.

MLC 

Lot 1116. A large 'proto-porcelain' jar, Warring States period, 4th-3rd century BC, 12 ¾ in. (32 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 4,000 - USD 6,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The compressed globular body is set with two loose ring handles on the sloping shoulder above two ribbed bands circulating the body. The exterior is covered with a mottled olive-toned glaze. 

Provenance: Acquired in New York prior to 1999. 
Peter Scheinman (1932-2017) Collection, New York.

The result of Oxford Authentication thermoluminescence test no. PH299f4 (11 November 1999) is consistent with the dating of this lot. 

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 14 - 15 September 2017, New York

NDB: A similar jar from the Isé Collection was exhibited at "Porcelaine, chefs-d'œuvre de la collection Ise", MNAG Musée Guimet, Paris, 21 june-4 september 2017.

Jarre à deux anses, Chine du Sud, Période des Royaumes Combattants (475-221 avant J.C.). Grès, glaçure à la cendre, décor gravé. Collection Isé.

Lot 1101. A rare large painted pottery vase and cover, fanghu, Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), 23 7/8 in. (60.5 cm.) high. Estimate USD 7,000 - USD 9,000 © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The faceted pear-shaped body and tall tapering foot are decorated in red, white and blue pigments with sweeping cloud motifs interrupted by a pair of large taotie-mask handles highlighted in yellow on two sides. The neck is painted with a narrow band of cloud motifs below a band of pendent blades, and the cover is of pyramidal form, Japanese wood box.

Provenance: In Japan prior to 1994.

Literature: Tokyo National Museum, Special Exhibition: Chinese Ceramics, Tokyo, 1994, p. 26, no. 30.

Exhibited: Tokyo, Tokyo National Museum, Special Exhibition: Chinese Ceramics, 12 October–23 November 1994, no. 30.

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 14 - 15 September 2017, New York

Hu, China, Western Han period (206 B.C. - A.D. 9). Ceramic and pigments, H-55.8 D-34 © Miho Museum

The shape of hu vessels can be traced to bronze vessels of the Shang period (about 1600-1028 B.C.). During the late Eastern Zhou period (475-221 B.C.), the use of bronze vessels for ritual and everyday use declined, whereas lacquered hu vessels gained in popularity.1 But as lacquerware was extremely costly to create and then bury in tombs, in the Western Han period ceramic copies began to be produced for interment.2  

During the Eastern Zhou period textile patterns had begun to have a dramatic impact on the designs found on many of China's other arts, particularly on bronzes and lacquer.3 By the Western Han period, textile-derived designs reflecting China's spiritual concerns for immortality began to decorate tomb walls and ceramic tomb vessels.4 A Western Han-period textile design entitled "long life" was the inspiration for the calligraphic cloud patterns found on the Shumei ceramic hu vessel.5  

This finely potted ceramic hu was first low fired, then painted with a charcoal-colored material.6 It is decorated with red-trimmed bands of white around the flared mouth as well as around the upper and lower portions of the full, rounded body. Between the bands of white, two sweeping bands of calligraphic "long-life" cloud patterns in purple, red, and white pigments are featured. Complementing these patterns are four inverted triangles with central rosette motifs flanked by calligraphic cloud motifs in red and violet on the waisted neck vase.7 A pair of taotie masks, fashioned out of earthenware and painted with white and red pigments, were placed on the sides of the body. The vessel's domed lid is also decorated with cloud patterns, while the footed-base has been colored white. 

Hu vessels similar in both shape and design can be found on a Western Han-period painted funeral banner from a tomb at Mawangdui, Changsha city, Hunan province, and further examples of ceramic hu vessels have been unearthed in Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, and Henan provinces.8 A number of fine examples are in western collections.9
JMS 

Covered Jar (Hu), Western Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 9), 1st century B.C. Earthenware with painted decoration. H. 22 1/8 in. (56.2 cm); Diam. 13 5/8 in. (34.6 cm); Diam. of rim: 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm); Diam. of foot: 8 in. (20.3 cm). Purchase, Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Tang Gift, 1986; 1986.170a, b© 2000–2017 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

During the Warring States period (475–221 B.C.), jades, bronze, textiles, musical instruments, books and other luxuries were often placed in tombs to serve the needs of the deceased in the afterlife. In the early Han dynasty pottery models known as mingqi or "spirit goods" began to be produced as substitutes for more valuable possessions, and to provide figures of servants, entertainers, livestock, pets, and vessels and other necessities for the tomb. Made of low-fired earthenware and painted with chalky mineral pigments that flake off when handled, this covered jar is too porous to hold liquids. The swirling cloud-like designs covering the vessel are thought to represent celestial mists through which the deceased would travel to join the immortals.

Hu-form vessel with cover, Western Han dynasty, 2nd-1st century BCE, China, Henan or Shaanxi province. Earthenware with polychrome pigment. H x W x D (overall): 53 x 22.3 x 22.4 cm (20 7/8 x 8 3/4 x 8 13/16 in). The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; a joint gift of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, Paul Singer, the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, and the Children of Arthur M. Sackler, RLS1997.48.1975a-b © 2017 Smithsonian Institution

Vase "hu", dynastie des Han orientaux (25-220 après J.-C.). Terre cuite peinte. Hauteur : 0.6 m, musée Guimet - musée national des Arts asiatiques, donation J. Polain, MA6086. Photo © Musée Guimet, Paris, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Roger Asselberghs

Paire de vases carrés fanghu, Epoque des Han de l’Ouest (206 av. J.-C.-9 apr. J.-C.), Chine septentrionale. Terre cuite. M.C. 9918 a et b : H. : 0,435 ; L. : 0,202 ; P. : 0,195 M.C. 9918 c et d : H. : 0,439 ; L. : 0,196 ; P. : 0,194. Achat (b et d), Don de la Société des Amis du Musée Cernuschi (a et c) avec la participation d’un amateur anonyme, de M. Patrice Vergé, de Mme Gisèle Croës, 1995 ((b); MC. 9918, a, b, c, d © Musée Cernuschi de Paris 

Ce type de vases est parfois appelé hu carré et couvert (gaifanghu) mais on les désigne le plus souvent par le terme fanghu. Nombre d’entre eux ont conservé leur délicate polychromie. De nombreuses fouilles permettent de situer plus précisément leur lieu d’utilisation et sans doute de fabrication. La couleur sombre de leur terre indique une provenance septentrionale, au Henan et au Shaanxi.

Les fanghu peints sont particulièrement nombreux dans les collections occidentales. L’un des plus anciennement connu en France a fait partie de la célèbre collection Jean Sauphar. Ils obéissent à deux grands types. La paire offerte au musée en 1995, aux formes ramassées, reste par ses proportions proche de modèles métalliques. Le vase Beurdeley quant à lui, plus élancé, témoigne d’une plus grande originalité. L’un des hules plus anciennement publiés appartenant à ce second type est conservé dans les collections publiques suédoises. 

Les décors peints, plus ou moins fins et inventifs, comme en témoignent les anneaux de préhension en trompe-l’œil, évoquent tout à la fois des incrustations de métaux précieux tels que sur le célèbre hu découvert dans la tombe de Liu Sheng, à Mancheng (Hebei), mais également les motifs délicats qui ornent les pièces laquées originaires de Chine méridionale, telles celles découvertes dans la tombe n°1 de Mawangtui, près de Changsha. La terre cuite peinte, beaucoup plus économique que des matériaux de luxe, aurait eu la préférence de nombreuses familles désireuses d’honorer leurs morts dans la dignité mais sans trop d’excès somptuaires.

A tire de curiosité, il convient de citer deux petits fanghu inhabituels en bronze peint dans la collection Meidaozhai. 

Gilles Béguin.

PARIS– Sotheby’s est heureuse d’annoncer sa deuxième vente Haute Couture, le mardi 3 octobre à Paris. La maison soumet au feu des enchères 140 « petites robes noires » issues de la collection personnelle de Didier Ludot, avec le concours de Kerry Taylor Auctions. En juillet 2015, Sotheby’s France avait dévoilé une partie de l’univers de Didier Ludot. Les créations mythiques des plus grands couturiers avaient ainsi défiléà la galerie Charpentier et conquis le cœur des collectionneuses et collectionneurs le temps d’une vente éclatante*. Cette nouvelle édition célèbrera un monument de la mode, un vêtement intemporel qui fascine les couturiers, magnifie les femmes, envoûte les hommes et constitue la pièce indispensable de tout dressing parisien digne de ce nom : la petite robe noire.

PARIS.- Sotheby’s announced its second sale of Haute Couture to take place in Paris on Tuesday 3 October. In association with Kerry Taylor Auctions, it will offer at auction 140 Petites robes noires, “little back dresses” from the private collection of Didier Ludot. Sotheby’s offered a glimpse of Ludot’s collection in July 2015, when legendary items by the greatest Paris couturiers were exhibited at the Galerie Charpentier, attracting the keen interest of major collectors, women who wished to buy to wear, alike. This second sale celebrates an iconic garment - La petite robe noire (the little black dress), a timeless wardrobe staple that has fascinated couturiers, flattered women and enchanted men for almost a century.  

Lot 1. Paul Poiret Haute couture, 1921, Model 'Madone'. A rare orientalist embroidered satin dress. Estimate 2,000 — 3,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

La vente du 3 octobre jettera un nouveau coup de projecteur sur ce classique de la mode. Pour accomplir cette mission, Didier Ludot a de nouveau sollicité le savoir-faire de Sotheby’s pour disperser une partie de sa collection : «Je rends aujourd’hui hommage à la fabuleuse épopée de la petite robe noire et aux créateurs qui ont écrit son histoire dont le catalogue se fait l’écho vertigineux, des années Folles aux années 2000. Ces pièces, estimées entre 500 et 5.000 €, que j’ai collectionnées avec passion, ont été créées par les plus grands couturiers, de Chanel à Marc Vaughan, en passant par Jean Patou – dont certaines pièces furent prêtées au Metropolitan Museum de New York – Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Balmain, Yohji Yamamoto. Une vingtaine de robes signées Christian Dior célèbrent les soixante-dix ans de l’illustre maison. Et parce-que la petite robe noire n’aime pas sortir seule, des escarpins de Roger Vivier et des fourrures accompagnent cette sélection.»

The sale on 3 October will offer a fresh look at this fashion classic as Ludot again calls on Sotheby’s savoir-faire to sell part of his collection. “Today I pay tribute to the astonishing story of the little black dress and to the designers who wrote its story, a dizzying tale that finds itself retold in the catalogue, from the Roaring Twenties to the new millennium. Lovingly collected, these pieces – whose estimates range between 800 and 5,000 euros – were created by the greatest of couturiers, from Chanel to Jean Patou to Marc Vaughan. Some of these dresses, by Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Balmain or Yohji Yamamoto, have previously been loaned to the Metropolitan Museum in New York. A group of twenty by Christian Dior worthily celebrate the 70th anniversary of that distinguished house. And as the little black dress doesn’t like to go out by itself, it will be accompanied at the sale by Roger Vivier pumps and a selection of furs.”  

Lot 17. Jean Patou Haute couture, circa 1925, Model 'Nuit de Chine'. A beaded tunic with pagodas and figures. Estimation 2,500 — 3,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

On ne présente plus Didier Ludot, célèbre « antiquaire de mode » français. Son nom court sur les lèvres des esthètes éprises de Haute Couture, en quête de la pièce, unique, chargée d’histoire, qui illuminera leurs garderobes. Venues des quatre coins du monde, elles se pressent dans la célèbre boutique du maître du vintage, sous les arcades du Palais Royal, entre les étoffes de toutes les époques. Depuis plus de quatre décennies et parallèlement à son activité de marchand, Didier Ludot a collectionné une à une les pièces de Haute Couture les plus rares.

Il est aussi l’auteur de l’ouvrage La petite robe noire, paru aux éditions Assouline en septembre 2001, considéré comme une référence sur ce sujet. Huit ans plus tard, il dédiait une exposition à la petite robe noire, dans les vitrines du ministère de la culture, à quelques pas de sa boutique. 

Didier Ludot, the dealer in vintage Haute Couture famous in Paris as the “fashion antiquarian”, hardly needs an introduction. His name is already known to cultivated fashion-lovers in search of a unique piece, rich with history, that will lend new chic to their wardrobes. Women from all over the world know Ludot’s boutique in the arcades of the Palais Royal, where they find the best of old and new. Alongside his business, Didier Ludot has built up, over a period of almost forty years, a private collection of rare and important pieces by the greatest designers. 

He is also the author of La petite robe noire, published by Assouline in September 2001, is considered an essential work of reference on the subject. Eight years later, he curated an exhibition on the Little black dress mounted in the windows of the Ministry of Culture, just around the corner from his shop.  

Lot 67. Grès Haute couture, circa 1935. A silk velvet dinner dress. Estimation 700 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Provenance: From the archives of Maison Grès.

La vente retrace l’histoire de la petite robe noire, depuis son apparition en 1926, sous l’égide de Gabrielle Chanel, jusqu’aux créations actuelles de Viktor et Rolf, en passant par le cinéma de la nouvelle Vague. «Qu’on ne se méprenne pas sur l’usage de l’adjectif : « petite »… Il révèle la relation affective qui unit une femme à la robe dont elle se pare. Car la petite robe noire est bien plus qu’un vêtement. Elle est le symbole du chic parisien, un modèle absolu de raffinement, une armure sensuelle dans laquelle se glissèrent des générations de femmes, sublimées par le port de cette toilette transcendante, aux pouvoirs magiques, qui floute les défauts, exalte toutes les beautés et fait tourner les têtes de ceux qui la regardent. Ses ambassadrices s’appellent Monica Vitti, Jeanne Moreau, Delphine Seyrig, Catherine Deneuve ou Monica Bellucci. Objet de convoitise pour les unes, elle est une source intarissable de fantasmes pour les autres. Si elle est « petite » par sa taille – la robe noire se porte courte – elle est immense par son histoire. » (Didier Ludot) 

The Little black dress from its birth in 1926, under the aegis of Coco Chanel, through its role in Nouvelle vague cinema and to the recent creations of Viktor and Rolf, the sale traces the story of the little black dress through almost a century of fashion history. “There should be no misunderstanding about that adjective ‘little’. … It is an expression of the woman’s emotional attachment to the dress she wears. For the little black dress is much more than an item of clothing. It is the symbol of Parisian chic, the very model of refinement, the sensual armour slipped on by generations of women who have found themselves transformed by a sublime raiment that forgives their failings and glorifies their virtues, turning heads everywhere it went. Its ambassadors have been Monica Vitti, Jeanne Moreau, Delphine Seyrig, Catherine Deneuve and Monica Bellucci. An object of must-haves for some, it is an inexhaustible inspiration of fantasy for others. While it may be ‘little’ in size – the black dress has always been worn short – it is immense in the story it tells.” (Didier Ludot).  

Lot 125. Agnes Drecoll Haute couture, 1936. A pin-tucked crepe dinner dress with chartreuse-yellow bow. Estimation 600 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Provenance: Wardrobe of Mademoiselle Carole Laure, a celebrated French actress.

Lot 102. Jeanne Lanvin Haute couture, été 1937. A crepe afternoon dress trimmed with silver leather, with quilted shoulders. Estimation 1,000 — 1,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Provenance: Wardrobe of Mademoiselle Carole Laure, a celebrated French actress.

Lot 122. Martial et Armand Haute couture, 1938. A silk satin dress. Estimation 600 — 900 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 103. Robert Piguet Haute couture, 1939. A biais-cut satin dinner dress. Estimation 600 — 900 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 53. Marcelle Tizeau Haute couture, circa 1944. A draped silk jersey evening dress. Estimation 600 — 900 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 137. Madame Grès Haute couture, 1944. A draped jersey day dress. Estimation 800 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Exhibition: A similar dress in green was presented at the exhibition la couture à l'oeuvre, Musée Galliera Hors les murs, musée Bourdelle, Paris, 2011. The New York Fashion institute of Technology also holds a similar model in brown.

Lot 158. Lucien Lelong, Haute couture, 1946. A crepe afternoon dress. Estimation 800 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 28. Jeanne Lanvin Haute couture, 1947. A wool crepe day dress with drapes and accentuated padded shoulders. Estimation 2,500 — 3,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 74. Marcelle Alix Haute couture, 1948 A draped draped silk jersey afternoon dress. Estimation 800 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 66. Balenciaga Haute couture, Automn-winter 1950. An evening dress with fringes and shawl-like halter-neck. Estimation 1,500 — 2,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 156. Carven Haute couture, 1950. A brocaded cotton afternoon dress. Estimation 600 — 900 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 83. Jacques Griffe Haute couture, 1951. A short lace evening dress. Estimation 1,200 — 1,800 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Note: Jacques Griffe was the disciple of Madeleine Vionnet during the Interwar period.

Lot 147. Jacques Fath, 1951. A velvet dinner dress. Estimation 1,200 — 1,800 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Provenance: Wardrobe of the actress Josette Day.

Lot 24. Christian Dior Haute couture, automne-hiver 1951-1952. A cocktail dress "Ligne longue" of Staron pin-taffeta silk. Estimation 2,000 — 3,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Provenance: Wardrobe of Mrs.Georges Descrières.

Lot 100. Jacques Fath Haute couture, 1952. A silk faille dinner dress. Estimation 800 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 105. Bruyère Haute couture, 1952. A silk satin cocktail dress. Estimation 800 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 127. Hermès, 1952. Model 'Hermeselle', a rare cotton dress printed with trompe-l'oeil details. Estimation 1,000 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 144. Marcel Rochas Haute couture, 1952. A felted wool day dress. Estimation 1,000 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 40. Balenciaga Haute couture (Eisa), 1953. A gros de Naples dinner dress embroidered with carnations. Estimation 3,000 — 5,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Bibliography: Balenciaga, Cristobal Balenciaga Museum, pp. 200-201

Note: A similar model is held in the collection of the Cristobal Balenciaga Foundation in Getaria.

Lot 72. Jacques Fath Haute couture, 1953. A lurex-flecked wool dinner dress. Estimation 600 — 800 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 133. Marcel Rochas Haute couture, 1953. A cocktail ensemble with a draped yellow taffeta bodice over a midnight blue organza skirt. Estimation 2,000 — 3,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Bibliographie: Dress presented in: Sophie Rochas, Marcel Rochas: audace et élégance, Flammarion, Paris, 2015, p. 261. 

Lot 51. Pierre Balmain Haute couture, 1954. A taffeta evening dress. Estimation 1,500 — 2,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 69. Pierre Balmain Haute couture, 1955. Model 'Berlin', a silk faille and velvet dance dress. Estimation 800 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Provenance: Runway model, from the wardrobe of the iconic Balmain model Paulette.

Lot 89. Jean Dessès Haute couture, 1955. A silk jersey afternoon dress. Estimation 500 — 900 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Bibliographie: A similar model was illustrated in L'art et la mode magazine, n°2770, p. 76.

Lot 68. Jacques Heim, 1956. A crepe cocktail dress. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Provenance: From the wardrobe of a celebrated French actress.

Lot 108. Nina Ricci, 1956. A striped satin cocktail ensemble. Estimation 600 — 900 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 121. Christian Dior Haute couture, circa 1956. Line 'Y", a gabardine wool day dress with a pleated bodice. Estimation 1,800 — 2,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 129. Jacques Griffe Haute couture, 1956. A silk faille cocktail dress. Estimation 800 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 2. Givenchy, Haute couture automne-hiver 1956-1957. A duchess satin dinner dress. Estimation 1,800 — 2,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 87. Balenciaga Haute couture, Autumn-Winter 1957. A Marescot lace baby doll dress. Estimation 2,000 — 3,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Bibliographie: Similar model presented in: Balenciaga: Magicien de la dentelle, Somogy Editions d'art, Paris, 2015, pp. 80-81.

Lot 109. Pierre Balmain Haute couture, automne-hiver 1957. A silk faille cockail dress. Estimation 800 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 20. Balenciaga Haute couture, printemps-été 1958. A draped sleeveless georgette dress. Estimation 2,000 — 3,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 60. Jean Dessès Haute couture, 1958. A draped silk chiffon dress. Estimation 2,000 — 3,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Bibliographie: Similar model presented in L'art et la mode, n°III, p.81, 1958.

Lot 54. Christian Dior par Yves Saint Laurent, 1958. A slubbed wool cocktail dress and bolero. Estimation 800 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 123. Christian Dior Haute couture par Yves Saint Laurent, printemps-été 1959. Model 'Black Swan', a tulle and lace cocktail dress. Estimation 5,000 — 6,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 14. Christian Dior Haute couture par Yves Saint Laurent, printemps-été 1959. A tulle dance dress adorned with ribbons and lace. Estimation 5,000 — 6,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Bibliography: Similar dress presented in: L'Officiel 1000 modèles, Dior: 60 ans de création, Editions Jalou, Paris, n°81, p. 59.

Lot 128. Christian Dior Haute couture par Yves Saint Laurent printemps-été 1959. A slubbed silk cocktail dress. Estimation 5800 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 96. Christian Dior Haute couture par Yves Saint Laurent, automne-hiver 1959-1960. A crepe and knitted wool afternoon dress. Estimation 2,500 — 3,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 55. Chanel Haute couture, 1960. A silk chiffon cocktail dress with taffeta bow. Estimation 2,500 — 2,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 35. Christian Dior Haute couture par Yves Saint Laurent, automne-hiver 1960-1961. A velvet dinner dress with silk bobble edging. Estimation 1,500 — 2,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 49. Christian Dior Haute couture par Yves Saint Laurent, automne-hiver 1960-1961. A silk faille cocktail dress adorned with bows. Estimation 1,200 — 1,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 3. Balenciaga Haute couture, spring-summer 1961. Estimation 800 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 114. Pierre Cardin Haute couture, 1962. A day dress of Raimon crêpe. Estimation 500 — 900 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 6. Chanel Haute couture, automne-hiver 1962-1963. A silk chiffon pleated cocktail dress. Estimation 1,200 — 1,800 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 159. Chanel Haute couture, 1964. a wrap dress in matelassé silk edged in flounces of organza. Estimation 1,200 — 1,800 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Exhibition: A similar dress was presented in : ELLE, Levallois-Perret, Editions Lagardère Active, 28 août 1964.

Lot 75. Balenciaga Haute couture, Printemps-été 1964. A cocktail dress of Rebé beaded tulle over a bottle green silk crêpe under-dress. Estimation 1,200 — 1,800 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 143. Balenciaga Haute couture, spring-summer 1964. A crepe afternoon dress with a curved low cowl back. Estimation 1,200 — 1,800 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Bibliographie: Similar dress presented in: Mona Bismarck, Cristobal Balenciaga, Cecil Beaton, Mona Bismarck American Center for art & culture, Mona Bismarck Foundation, Paris, 1994, p. 69.

Lot 56. Balenciaga Haute couture, 1965. A dinner dress of Bucol cloqué silk. Estimation 800 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 4. Pierre Balmain haute couture 1965. A  silk crepe dinner dress. Estimation 600 — 900 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 115. Yves Saint Laurent Haute couture, automne-hiver 1965-1966. An evening dress of Marescot sequins. Estimation 2,500 — 3,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Provenance: Wardrobe of a famous french actress.

Lot 16. Ungaro Haute couture, 1966 A suede mini dress. Estimation 700 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 26. Yves Saint Laurent Haute couture, Automne-Hiver 1967-1968. A suede mini dress with gold-sequinned sleeves by Marescot. Estimation 2,000 — 3,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Bibliography: Similar dress presented in: L'officiel 1000 modèles: Yves Saint Laurent, éditions Jalou, Paris, hors-série, p.40

Pierre Bergé, Yves Saint Laurent, l'oeuvre intégral, Haute couture 1962-2002, Editions de la Martinière, Paris, 2010, Boîte 1 Planche 05/10 folio 165.

Lot 78. Yves Saint Laurent Haute couture, automne-hiver 1968-1969. A "Moroccan crepe" dress with jewelled medallions by Lesage. Estimation 4,000 — 6,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Bibliography: Similar model in:

Pierre Bergé, Yves Saint Laurent, l'œuvre intégral, Haute couture 1962-2002, Éditions de la Martinière, Paris, 2010, Boîte 1 Planche 6/10 folio 190. 

Yves Saint Laurent, Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent, Éditions de la Martinière, Paris, 2010, p. 350.

Lot 79. Pierre Balmain Haute couture, automne-hiver 1968-1969. A short evening dress of ziberline and velvet by Bianchini Ferier. Estimation 1,200 — 1,800 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Bibliographie: Similar dress presented in: Guillaume Garnier, Pierre Balmain: 40 années de création, Musée de la mode et du costume, Paris, 1985, p. 217.

Lot 50. Pierre Cardin Haute couture, 1969. Model 'Car wash', a wool crepe cocktail dress with streamer-like fringes. Estimation 1,200 — 1,800 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 15. Pierre Cardin, 1970. A day dress of Racine jersey. Estimation 600 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 139. Pierre Cardin, Haute couture 1970. A crepe day dress with skirt of looped fringes. Estimation 600 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 25. Marc Vaughan Haute couture, 1971. A silk shantung cocktail dress. Estimation 600 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Provenance: From the wardrobe of Madame Marc Vaughan, who presented this dress during the runway.

Lot 81. Chanel Haute couture par Gaston Berthelot, 1972. A Marescot lace dinner dress with organza flounces. Estimation 800 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 34. Christian Dior Haute couture par Marc Bohan, 1972. A short cigaline evening dress adorned with gilt sequins by Vermont. Estimation 1,000 — 1,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 136. Yves Saint Laurent Haute couture, 1974. A chiffon shirt-waister crepe dress with a narrow leather belt. Estimation 700 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 152. Yves Saint Laurent Haute couture, automne-hiver 1974-1975. A crepe de chine day dress. Estimation 700 — 900 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Bibliographie: Similar dress presented in: L'Officiel 1000 modèles: Yves Saint Laurent, Editions Jalou, Paris, hors-série, p. 70.

Lot 134. Yves Saint Laurent Haute couture, automne-hiver 1976-1977. Collection 'Ballets Russes', A velvet evening dress with fringes. Estimation 2,500 — 3,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 63. Grès Haute couture, circa 1979. A midnight blue silk jersey evening gown. Estimation 3,000 — 4,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 32. Christian Dior Haute couture par Marc Bohan, 1982 A silk velvet short evening gown with organza petals. Estimation 1,000 — 1,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 12. Valentino Haute couture, 1984. A pleated taffeta and velvet dress. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 7. Chanel par Karl Lagerfeld, 1985. A crepe sheath with gold beaded 'sunburst' to bodice, embroidered by Lesage. Estimation 800 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 37. Thierry Mugler, 1985. A velvet evening dress with rhinestone studded collar. Estimation 500 — 700 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 9. Helmut Lang, circa 1985. A minimalist silk dress with stepped organza back pattern. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 41. Ungaro (attributed to) Haute couture, circa 1985 A short sequinned Marescot lace evening dress with hem and rosette of pink taffeta. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 39. Christian Dior Haute couture par Marc Bohan, printemps-été 1985. A short cloqué silk strapless dress. Estimation 1,000 — 1,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 27. Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld, automne-hiver 1985-1986. An asymmetric wool crepe cocktail dress with gilt chains cascading from rear shoulder. Estimation 800 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Note: A similar dress was worn by Inès de la Fressange. 

Lot 117. Jean Paul Gaultier, 1988. A satin corset dress. Estimation 500 — 800 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 8. Paco Rabanne, circa 1990. A jersey dress with gilt metal yoke. Estimation 500 — 700 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 112. Paco Rabanne Haute couture, automne-hiver 1990-1991. A crepe dress with a metal lattice inserts. Estimation 500 — 700 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 65. Thierry Mugler, automne-hiver 1990-1991. Model "Kessler". An asymmetric velvet and satin evening gown. Estimation 800 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 140. Montana, 1991. A  'ribbon' party dress,  the chiffon ground applied with vertical satin strips. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.  

Lot 31. Nina Ricci Haute couture par Gérard Pipart, 1992. A faille and taffeta 50s inspired gown, the waist outlined with bows. Estimation 500 — 700 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 80. Alaïa, 1992. A stretch lace party dress. Estimation 500 — 700 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Exhibition: A similar dress was presented during the Azzedine Alaïa exhibition at the Musée Galliera, Paris, September 28th 2013 - January 26th 2014.

Lot 84. Montana, 1992. An organza trapeze-line dress. Estimation 300 — 500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 111. Montana, 1992. A silk organza mini dress. Estimation 300 — 500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 150. Dolce & Gabanna, 1992. A latticed lace dress. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 29. Christian Lacroix, 1994. A pleated draped chiffon dress. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 131. Christian Lacroix, 1994. A short guipure and chartreuse satin evening dress. Estimation  400 — 600  EUR. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 57. Yves Saint Laurent Haute couture, Printemps-Eté 1995. A reinterpretation of the iconic 'Le smoking' in black silk crepe. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Provenance: Prototype from catwalk.

Lot 107. Jean Paul Gaultier, circa 1995. A smocked chiffon day dress. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 141. Vivienne Westwood, circa 1995. A velvet day dress. Estimation 500 — 700 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 101. Yves Saint Laurent Haute couture, circa 1995. A tuxedo-inspired wool dinner dress. Estimation 800 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 42. Yves Saint Laurent Haute couture, automne-hiver 1995-1996. A silk velvet cocktail dress. Estimation 700 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 71. Gucci par Tom Ford, 1996. A crepe dress with leather collar. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 149. Atelier Versace Haute couture, circa 1996. A stretch-crepe bodycon cocktail dress. Estimation 500 — 900 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 120. Givenchy Haute couture par John Galliano, Automne-Hiver 1996 -1997. 'Empress Josephine' Collection , a rare short beaded cocktail dress. Estimation 2,000 — 3,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 145. Prada, 1997. A high-tech fabric day dress. Estimation 2,000 — 3,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 48. Givenchy par Alexander McQueen fall/winter 1998-1999. A short evening dress entirely covered with jet-black bugle beads. Estimation 1,000 — 1,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 118. Yohji Yamamoto, circa 2000. A knitted wool dress. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 146. Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, circa 2000. An organdy day dress. Estimation 300 — 400 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 38. Givenchy Haute couture par Julien Macdonald, automne-hiver 2002-2003. An asymmetric wool dinner dress. Estimation 800 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Note: Prototype modelled by Stella Tennant.

Lot 73. Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche par Tom Ford, automne-hiver 2002-2003. A wool cocktail dress with velvet ribbon collar. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 90. Alexander McQueen, pré-collection automne-hiver 2004-2005. A wool crepe day dress. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 22. Junya Watanabe, printemps-été 2005. A ‘zipper’ dress. Estimation 1,000 — 1,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Note: Similar dress held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection, New York.

Lot 85. Viktor & Rolf, printemps-été 2005. A crepe and satin day dress. Estimation 300 — 400 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 47. Yves Saint Laurent par Stefano Pilati, automne-hiver 2005-2006. A wool day dress with heart-shaped décolletage. Estimation 500 — 700 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 142. Zac Posen, 2006. A  satin 'Egyptian' dress. Estimation 600 — 800 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Provenance: Special order for the personal collection of Didier Ludot.

Lot 155. Lanvin par Alber Elbaz, Automne-Hiver 2006. An afternoon dress of guipure lace patchwork. Estimation 300 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 132. Rue du Mail par Martine Sitbon, 2007. A brushed wool and silk dress. Estimation 500 — 700 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Lot 64. Rue du Mail par Martine Sitbon, automne-hiver 2007-2008. A silk velvet and ivory taffeta cocktail dress. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s. 

Bibliographie: "A l'adolescence, mon premier vrai choix, ma première robe fut une petite robe noire... Elle ne m'a jamais quittée..." Martine Sitbon.

Lot 104. John Galliano, Automne-Hiver 2007-2008. A chantilly lace slip dress with velvet ribbons. Estimation 300 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 13. Givenchy par Riccardo Tisci, printemps-été 2008. A day dress with metallic eyelets. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 106. Jean Paul Gaultier, 2009. A panne velvet dinner dress with a lace jabot. Estimation 300 — 500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 19. Christian Lacroix, 2010. A lace and velvet cocktail dress. Estimation 300 — 500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Provenance: Wardrobe of princess Toussoun

Une dizaine d’escarpins de Roger Vivier

Afin de parfaire ce défilé, le catalogue comprend également une dizaine de créations de Roger Vivier, dont certains modèles, d’une grande rareté, furent conçus pour Christian Dior et brodés par la maison Rébé. Ces délicats souliers aux couleurs éclatantes souligneront la pureté des petites robes noires. Citons, entre autres merveilles, une paire d’escarpins au bout turc, ou encore une paire en soie bleu canard rehaussée de plumes de martin pêcheur.

Shoes by Roger Vivier 
To complete the look, the catalogue also includes a dozen creations by Roger Vivier, some of them extremely rare, designed for Christian Dior and embroidered by Rebé. The colour and brilliance of these delicate shoes perfectly set off the sobriety of the little black dress. One might mention, among other triumphs, a pair of pumps with Ottoman toe, and another in duck-blue silk trimmed in kingfisher feathers. 

Kerry Taylor, specialist fashion auctioneer says of the collection: “Didier Ludot has a genius for spotting historically important dresses which are at the same time super-wearable which makes the gowns objects of desire on so many levels. Although some may be regarded as museum pieces – I’m sure that others will be seen at elegant soirees in the years tocome."

Lot 151. Christian Dior par Roger Vivier. A pair of embroidered satin shoes. Estimation 500 — 700 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 23. Christian Dior par Roger Vivier, 1955-1957. A pair of satin evening shoes with metal thread embroidered by Rébé. Estimation 2,000 — 2,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 86. Roger Vivier pour Christian Dior, 1955-1957 A pair of lace and satin evening shoes embroidered by Rébé. Estimation 1,000 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 95. Christian Dior par Roger Vivier, 1955-1957. A pair of black lace shoes. Estimation 600 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 119. Christian Dior par Roger Vivier 1955 - 1957. A pair of floral Staron silk shoes. Estimation 600 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 135. Christian Dior par Roger Vivier, 1955 - 1957. Shoes embroidered with fringes of beads by Rébé. Estimation 700 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 157.  Christian Dior par Roger Vivier 1955 - 1957. A pair of evening shoes of floral chiné Staron satin. Estimation 1,000 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 52. Christian Dior par Roger Vivier, 1957. A pair of turkish-inspired turquoise silk evening shoes with curved toes, embroidered by Rébé. Estimation 2,000 — 2,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Bibliographie: Farid Chenoune, Dior, Assouline, Paris, 2007, p.50.

Lot 82. Roger Vivier pour Christian Dior, 1957. A pair of kingfisher feather and trompe-l'oeil printed shoes. Estimation 2,000 — 2,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Exhibition: A similar model is kept in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art collection.

Bibliography: Similar model presented in: Les souliers de Roger Vivier, catalogue d'exposition, Paris, Musée des arts de la mode (9 décembre 1987 -13 mars 1988), Paris, 1987, book cover.

Lot 10. Christian Dior par Roger Vivier, 1957-1959. A pair of evening shoes covered in pink tulle couched and embroidered overall in metal strip, and covered with shimmering rhinestones, pearl beaded bands and coloured crystal droplets, embroidered by Rébé. Estimation 1,500 — 2,500 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 124. Christian Dior par Roger Vivier circa 1957-1963. A pair of ruby satin sling backs with rhinestone bands. Estimation 800 — 1,000 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 91. Christian Dior par Roger Vivier, 1959. A pair of gilt leather shoes. Estimation 1,000 — 1,200 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 11. Christian Dior par Roger Vivier, circa 1960. A pair of slingback evening shoes trimmed with satin bows edged in beaded fringes. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 62. Roger Vivier pour Givenchy, 1963. A pair of shoes of printed pink and white Sache silk with bows. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 94. Roger Vivier, 1965. A pair of silk satin shoes with tortoiseshell-like bakelite buckles. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 116. Roger Vivier, 1966. Leather shoes with metallic buckles. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

Lot 46. Roger Vivier, 1967. A pair of black patent leather shoes with red and cream applique circles. Estimation 400 — 600 €. Courtesy Sotheby’s.

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