Lot 3565. An exceptionally large imperial white jade marriage bowl, Qianlong period (1736-1795); 13 1/4 in. (34 cm.) wide. Estimate HKD 3,000,000 - HKD 5,000,000. Price Realized HKD 9,020,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2011. 

The shallow rounded sides supported on six ruyi-form tab feet and rising to a squared everted rim, flanked on either side by large elaborately carved butterfly handles suspending loose rings, their outstretched wings and long curling antennae spanning the flattened rim, the well-polished stone of an even semi-translucent white tone. 

Lot 3594. A very rare yellow jade covered vase and lotus group, Qianlong period (1736-1795); 4 1/4 in. (21 cm.) wide. Estimate HKD 800,000 - HKD 1,200,000. Price Realized HKD 2,900,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2011. 

Finely carved with a central flattened baluster vase, the plain foot rising to a broad shoulder, the waisted neck with twin flattened 'S'-scroll handles, surmounted by a domed cover with a C-shaped finial, the vase flanked on one side by a large partially closed lotus flower forming a receptacle borne on a twisting stem issuing leaves, the other side similarly carved with an open lotus flower exposing the central pod beside a cluster of furled leaves forming a further receptacle, the stone of a remarkably intense translucent, even celadon-yellow tone with only a few very minor scattered russet inclusions. 

Lot 3595. A finely carved large white jade moonflask and cover, Qianlong period (1736-1795); 12 1/4 in. (31.2 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 3,000,000 - HKD 5,000,000. Price Realized HKD 8,420,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2011. 

Of impressive size, the flattened spherical body raised on a spreading base and rising to an elegantly waisted neck flanked by elephant head handles suspending loose rings, the body carved to either side in varying levels of crisp relief with a formal design of a central lotus bloom surrounded by scrolling stems radiating from the centre issuing leaves and further flowerheads above a lappet band to the spreading foot, all between keyfret borders at the rims, the domed cover with a stepped rounded oval finial, the inside of the base carved with rope-twist framed by keyfret on the underside of the foot, the sides with stylised lappets running up from the base, otherwise left plain as is the neck and cover to display the even milky white material with only one or two minor brown inclusions to one side. 

Lot 3596. A finely carved white jade 'marriage' bowl, Qianlong period (1736-1795); 8 1/8 in. (20.5 cm.) wide. Estimate HKD 3,500,000 - HKD 5,500,000. Price Realized HKD 3,380,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2011. 

The deep bowl thickly cut with slightly lobed sides finely carved in low relief to the exterior with stylised ribboned keyfret descending from the inverted bevelled rim suspending large central lotus blooms and leaves on one side, and a beribboned chime suspending a wan symbol, flanked by further leaves extending down the recessed lobes and emerging near the base, each of the handles carved as a pair of facing bats separated by a chime, a wan, symbol and a ruyi head supported on stylised leafy stems suspending loose rings, all supported on three short ruyi head tab feet, the base with further interlocking scrolling ribbons, the well-polished stone of an even white tone. 

Lot 3598. A finely carved white jade archaistic vase, Qing dynasty, 18th century; 6 3/4 in. (17.1 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 800,000 - HKD 1,200,000. Price Realized HKD 2,780,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2011. 

Of flattened form, finely carved in imitation of an archaic bronze gu-shaped vase with a lozenge-shaped cross-section, the bulbous mid-section carved with archaistic taotie masks below the flaring neck carved in high relief with a pair of slender chilong, one ascending, the other descending, in mutual pursuit of a large 'flaming pearl' placed between them, their bifurcated tails extending to the back of the vase, all standing on a short stepped splayed base, the semi-translucent stone of an exceptionally even white tone. 

Lot 3598. An extremely rare imperial white jade ewer and cover, Qianlong incised Yuyong six-character mark and of the period (1736-1795); 7 3/8 in. (18.7 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 800,000 - HKD 1,200,000. Price Realized HKD 7,820,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2011. 

An elegant elongated pear form resting on a waisted foot, the gently sloping neck descending to a rounded body, bridged on one side by a square-section scroll handle and on the other by a conforming spout, carved in high relief with two scaly dragons, their contorted sinuous bodies coiling around the spout and handle, the domed cover surmounted by a third smaller coiled dragon, the Qianlong reign mark incised to the base with an additional incised Jiaqing Yuyong six-character mark in a line above the foot, the stone of an even white tone with areas of opaque inclusions. 

Lot 3061. A large famille-rose olive-shape vase with birds and flowers, Seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 64.5 cm., 25 1/4 in. Estimate 300,000 — 400,000 HKD. Lot Sold 7,820,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's

elegantly potted with an ovoid body springing from a smaller recessed foot, gently curving to a slender neck before flaring at the gilt-decorated mouth, brilliantly enameled with a pair of pheasants resting on a craggy ledge, the male pheasant with a long tail, his head turned toward the crouching female by his side, surrounded by leafy branches of peony and prunus, below a pair of magpies perching on a knotty branch of magnolia, the countersunk base inscribed in iron-red with a six-character reign mark within a square.

Provenance: Christie's Hong Kong, 1st October 1991, lot 787A.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 april 2011

Lot 3063. A 'boneless'famille-rose'chrysanthemum'meiping, Seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 32.4 cm., 12 3/4 in. Estimate 1,200,000 — 1,800,000 HKD. Lot Sold 3,860,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's

of ovoid form with a short waisted neck below a slightly everted mouthrim, deftly painted around the sides with large blossoming chrysanthemums, in shaded pink, white, iron-red and yellow growing from a large porous garden rock, beside the twin trunks of a sparsely foliated tree, the base inscribed in iron-red with a four-character reign mark.

Provenance: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 12th May 1976, lot 280.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 18th May 1988, lot 277.

Note: Charmingly painted with colourfully rendered butterflies and chrysanthemums of a broad palette, meiping vases of this design are rare. This vase is a good example of the developments in painting during the eighteenth century where craftsmen were able to attain a spectrum of enamel colours previously unseen in Chinese porcelain. The scene on the present vase is painted in the 'boneless style', where wash and colour were emphasised and line was reserved for the rendering of the veins, such as the leaves and wings of the butterflies. This technique was rarely employed on porcelain and generally reserved for smaller wares.

For a Yongzheng baluster vase painted with peony, chrysanthemum and lily blooms issuing from rockwork and a pair of butterflies in the 'boneless style' see one from the Frederick E. Fuller collection sold twice in our Los Angeles rooms, 25th September 1972, lot 99, again, 14th June 1979, lot 1217, and a third time in these rooms, 3rd May 1994, lot 228. This style of painting continued into the nineteenth century as seen in a Daoguang globular vase, decorated with a fruiting and flowering pomegranate tree and rockwork sold in these rooms, 5th May 1990, lot 274.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 april 2011

Lot 3064. A famille-rose dish with ladies, Qing dynasty, Yongzheng period (1723-1735); 20.3 cm., 8 in. Estimate 180,000 — 220,000 HKD. Lot Sold 375,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's

the rounded sides rising from a slightly tapered foot, the interior painted with two ladies dressed in loose-fitted clothes standing in a pavilion beneath a prunus tree, fishing by a lotus pond, a fisherman in distance playing the Chinese flute dizi, a prunus branch extending over the rim to the underside.

Provenance: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 18th May 1988, lot 266.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 april 2011

Lot 3065. A fine famille-rose 'landscape' bowl, Qing dynasty, Yongzheng period (1723-1735); 12.8 cm., 5 in. Estimate 200,000 — 300,000 HKD. Lot Sold 250,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's

the gently rounded sides rising from a short foot to a flaring mouth, the exterior finely painted with a fisherman standing in his sampan, steering towards the shore with a pavilion and a house on stilts in a continuous landscape, the base painted in underglaze blue with a potter's mark.

Provenance: Collection of Edward T. Chow.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 19th May 1981, lot 601.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 18th May 1988, lot 263..

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 april 2011

Lot 3066. An unusual famille-rose lavender-ground cupstand, Qing dynasty, 18th century; 18 cm., 7 1/8 in. Estimate 500,000 — 700,000 HKD. Lot Sold 1,460,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's

the bulbous lobed body resting on a wide chrysanthemum-petalled dish, all supported on a tall, slightly flared foot, covered overall in a lavender-ground glaze, enamelled with white chrysanthemum and bats around the top, scattered pink chrysanthemums an butterflies on both the interior and exterior of the dish and stylised iron-red chrysanthemums borne on an interlinked scroll around the foot.

Note: Compare a very similar cupstand sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 7th October 2010, lot 2164. In form, decoration and combination of Chinese and Western elements this cupstand is unusual. The charming lobed shape appears to have been inspired by earlier Chinese lacquer cupstands, such as the red lacquer example attributed to the Song dynasty (960-1279), in the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, included in the exhibition The Colors and Forms of Song and Yuan China: Featuring Lacquerwares, Ceramics and Metalwares, Nezu Institute of Fine Arts, Tokyo, 2004, cat. no. 155; and another with bracket-lobed fluted rim but plain neck, cat. no. 158.

The design of butterflies and chrysanthemums has traditionally been a favoured motif in China for its highly auspicious qualities, with the chrysanthemum symbolising longevity as well as representative of the autumn season and the ninth month; and the butterflies (hudie) representing the wish for 'accumulation of blessings (fudie)' as well as happiness and longevity. Blooming flowers are also auspicious as they bring prosperity. The combination of butterflies flying among flowers is a popular design symbolising joy, love and good fortune (dielianhua).

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 april 2011

Lot 3068. A rare famille-rose ovoid vase, seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 22.8 cm., 9 in. Estimate 1,000,000 — 1,500,000 HKD. Lot Sold 3,620,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's

of ovoid form rising to a waisted neck, finely painted to the exterior with an elegant lady seated in a thoughtful and relaxed manner on a day bed attended by two young boys, a lingzhi growing from a pot on a stand to one side and two bats in flight above, the base inscribed with a six-character mark in underglaze blue.

Provenance: Corrado Zigone Collection, no. 202.
John Sparks, London.
Christie's London, 18th June 2002, lot 38.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 april 2011

Lot 3069. A rare pair of finely painted famille-rose'peony' cups, marks and period of Yongzheng  (1723-1735); 9 cm., 3 5/8 in. Estimate 4,000,000 — 6,000,000 HKD. Lot Sold 7,460,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's

finely potted with flared sides, rising from a short footring, exquisitely painted on the interior in brilliant famille-rose enamels with a butterfly amongst flowering peonies, the exterior similarly decorated with peony blossoms and delicate buds on a gnarled and leafy stem, inscribed on the base with the six-character mark in underglaze-blue within double-circles.

Note: In a superb display of artistic proficiency, these exquisitely enamelled cups are extremely rare for their design which rises from the foot and over the rim into the interior. This decorative technique is known as guozhi, and was one of the great innovations of Tang Ying, Superintendent at the Imperial kilns in Jingdezhen. Designs were 'wrapped' around vessels by treating the three-dimensional porcelain surface like a two-dimensional canvas, a method more commonly known on Yongzheng wares enamelled with flowering and fruiting peach branches, such as a bowl illustrated in The Tsui Museum of Art. Chinese Ceramics IV. Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 155, and sold in our London rooms, 16th May 2007, lot 104. For a slightly larger bowl of similar form also decorated with a unique design of bats amongst a gourd vine that extends into the interior, see one published in Julian Thompson, The Alan Chuang Collection of Chinese Porcelain, Hong Kong, 2009, pl. 95.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 april 2011

Lot 3070. An extremely rare famille-rose vase with ladies, Qing dynasty, Yongzheng period (1723-1735); 37.8 cm., 14 7/8 in. Estimate 1,500,000 — 2,500,000 HKD. Lot Sold 1,500,000 — 2,500,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's

the baluster body with an angular shoulder flaring to a trumpet mouth, well enamelled with an elegant lady seated in a root chariot drawn by a stag, surrounded by four female attendants elaborately dressed in flowing robes and carrying a peach, a vase, a ruyi sceptre and a sprig of lingzhi, the scene framed by craggy rocks and bats in flight, below clusters of treasured objects at the neck.

Provenance: Collection of Sir Frank Swettenham, G.C.M.G., C.H.
Sotheby's London, 7th November 1946, lot 175.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 22nd May 1985, lot 171.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 16th November 1988, lot 392.

Literature: Sotheby's Hong Kong – Twenty Years, 1973-1993, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 291. 

Note: Vases of this form and decoration are extremely rare and no other example appears to have been published, although it is included as a Yongzheng period form in Geng Baochang, Ming Qing ciqi jianding, Hong Kong, 1993, p. 234, fig. 4. This piece can be attributed to the early Yongzheng reign through the use of pink with colours more typical of famille-verte wares. The softness of the colouring and the simplicity of the way the composition wraps around the body reveal the fine artistic accomplishment of the craftsmen of the period.

The scene of the present vase depicts Magu, the Daoist Goddess of Longevity, returning from an excursion to the mountains in search of lingzhi fungus and surrounded by her attendants. Magu is often portrayed as a young and beautiful girl carrying a basket or vase of lingzhi fungus or peaches and typically accompanied by a spotted deer, the only animal capable of finding the sacred fungus of immortality. First appearing on early-Ming porcelain, she gained popularity during the early Qing period and vessels with this design were produced for women's birthday celebrations. For a Yongzheng mark and period dish enamelled with a similar scene in famille-rose enamels, see one sold 8th October 2009, lot 1602; and an unmarked example sold in our London rooms, 13th November 1979, lot 134.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 april 2011

Lot 3593. A fine and very rare cloisonné enamel basin, Kangxi period (1662-1722); 21 5/8 in. (55.6 cm.) wide. Estimate HKD 500,000 - HKD 700,000. Price Realized HKD 1,220,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2011. 

Of lobed hexagonal form with a lipped rim, the circular well superbly detailed in colour enamels with a scene depicting an official seated on throne with his feet resting on a footstool, all set within a pavilion with attendants kneeling at his feet and standing to one side, the walled gardens outside the pavilion with visiting dignitaries and further attendants holding banners and parasols aloft beside a crane and deer, the inner straight walls of the basin decorated with six horses, haima, amidst clouds and rockwork peaks emerging from turbulent waves, the broad flange rim with six panels of stylized full-face horned dragons against a diaper ground, the exterior sides decorated with six pairs of confronted dragons flanking stylised Shou characters, the underside of the rim with a broad band of lotus scroll. 

Lot 3601. A very rare cloisonné pair of cloisonné enamel table screens and stands, Kangxi period (1662-1722); 11 3/8 in. (28.9 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 500,000 - HKD 800,000. Price Realized HKD 500,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2011. 

Each of rectangular form, finely decorated in tones of green, blue, yellow, red, white and turquoise to one side with the Daoist immortal Li Tieguai resting on his iron crutch standing on a large double-gourd floating on cresting waves issuing a plume of smoke upon which rides another smaller indistinct figure among the clouds; the second plaque depicting Zhang Guolao with the fish drum slung over his shoulder before prunus tees issuing from rockwork, both scenes set within archaistic kui dragon scroll borders, the other side of both plaques with vases of flowers and precious objects on a 'cracked ice' ground within cell-pattern borders, the stands with further kui dragon and floral borders with pierced floral scroll panels and dragon brackets. 

Lot 3575. A magnificent imperial carved cinnabar lacquer three-tiered travelling box and cover, Qianlong incised and gilt six-character mark and of the period (1736-1795); 11 3/4 x 14 x 14 in. (29.9 x 35.6 x 35.6 cm.). Estimate HKD 4,000,000 - HKD 6,000,000. Price Realized HKD 10,740,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2011. 

The three square-section tiers and cover set on a base frame flanked by standing spandrels and joined at the top with a humpbacked handle, superbly carved to the top of the cover with four bats suspending musical stones around the axes of a central stylised wan character and four further bats amidst swirling clouds at the corners of the interlocking ruyi-shaped keyfret border framing the central cartouche, set with dense blossoming peony scroll and angular scrolling ribbons within a stylised foliate scroll border, each of the sixteen sides of the box and cover similarly carved with five bats amidst clouds centred around a musical stone and wan character framed at the sides by lotus flowers issuing from angular ribbons, the outside of the spandrels carved with angular dragon scroll repeated in shallow relief to the interior sides, the base frame and handle with further archaistic angular scroll and key-fret on the sides, the cover held in place by a brass rod with a bat-shaped finial extending through the two side supports, the interiors and base lacquered black, the base bearing the incised and gilt reign mark, Japanese wood box. 

Lot 3576. A well-carved cinnabar lacquer table cabinet, Qing dynasty, 18th century; 10 1/2 x 13 3/4 x 7 7/8 in. (26.6 x 34.8 x 20 cm.). Estimate HKD 600,000 - HKD 800,000. Price Realized HKD 620,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2011. 

Of rectangular shape set on short tab feet, with two hinged doors to the front opening to reveal a single shelf, each door, back and side carved with panels depicting well-balanced arrangements of antiques and precious objects including flower vases, bowls of fruit, books and scholar's objects, all within keyfret borders against floral diaper grounds, the top carved with a similar panel of blossoming lotus scroll framed by stylised archaistic dragon scroll at the corners and set with a gilt metal handle with ruyi-head terminals, the interior and base lacquered black, Japanese wood box. 

Lot 3579. A very rare mother-of-pearl inlaid ruyi-form box and cover, Qianlong four-character mark and of the period (1736-1795); 6.6 cm.) wide. Estimate HKD 350,000 - HKD 450,000. Price Realized HKD 920,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2011. 

The slightly domed cover delicately inlaid with iridescent shells in different hues of blue and green with gold leaf highlights to depict a lady seated on a barrel stool beside a table supporting a flower vase and a large screen behind her, all against a brown lacquer ground, the sides with stylised geometric diaper, the interior left plain with the exception of a small flower sprig to the interior of the cover and a fish to the interior of the base, the base with the four character reign mark inlaid with mother-of-pearl and gilt within a square, wood stand. 

Lot 3106. A fine and magnificent large blue and white 'dragon' vase, Seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 46 cm., 18 1/8 in. Estimate 20,000,000 — 30,000,000 HKD. Lot Sold 29,780,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's.

well potted of elongated pear shape with a swelling body sweeping up to a slender neck, exquisitely painted in vivid cobalt-blue with five sinuous five-clawed dragons animatedly posing in various positions around the vase amidst a dense lotus ground, all between a band of waves and pendant ruyi heads encircling the mouth and waves and 'classic' scroll skirting the foot, the base inscribed with a six-character reign mark in underglaze blue.

Provenance: Mrs. Christian Holmes Collection.
William H. Wolff, Inc., New York, January 1966.
Evelyn Annenberg-Hall Collection.
Christie's New York, 29th March 2006, lot 169. 

Note: This magnificent dragon vase is especially fine for its elegant slender form and unusually large size. A related example painted with a similar design but with a mixed flower scroll rendered in underglaze red, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (II), Hong Kong, 2000, pl. 209.

This piece belongs to a special group of vases produced during the Qianlong period, with elongated tall neck and pear-shaped body. Examples can be found in important museums and collections worldwide and each vase within the group appears to be uniquely decorated; for example see one painted with figures in a landscape, from the Qing court collection and still in Beijing, illustrated ibid., pl. 119; another decorated with a composite floral motif sold in these rooms, 2nd May 1984; and a third example adorned with a flower scroll design in the Ming style, from the collection of Jolan Hennings, sold at Christie's New York, 9th November 1978, lot 97, and again in these rooms, 25th November 1981, lot 224.

The present vase is notable for its dynamic design of dragons amongst floral scrolls, a motif that is known from fifteenth century blue and white wares and which was revived under the Qianlong emperor. See a blue and white tianqiuping decorated with dragons and scrolling lotus, illustrated in The Tsui Museum of Art. Chinese Ceramics IV, Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 72; and a hu vase sold in these rooms, 16th May 1989, lot 271; and another sold in our London rooms, 9th November 2000, lot 327. The effectiveness of the overall design of the present vase is also due to the brilliant deep blue cobalt, which reflects the high level of technical achievement attained by the craftsman.

Vessels of this form were also made covered in monochrome glaze; for example see a large Qianlong flambé-glazed vase, in the Nanjing Museum, included in Zhongguo Qingdai guanyao  ciqi, Shanghai, 2003, p. 345; another in the Palace Museum, Beijing, published in The Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003, pl. 345; and a third flambé-glazed vase decorated in gilt with a floral motif, from the Qing Court collection is illustrated in Kangxi. Yongzheng. Qianlong. Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989, p. 393, pl. 74.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 april 2011

NDB: This vase was later sold for 49,037,500 HKD at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 05 April 2017, lot 3618.