Lot 3107 A rare small blue and white ovoid 'dragon' vase, mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 13 cm., 5 1/8 in. Estimate 2,200,000 — 2,800,000 HKD. Lot Sold 2,660,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's

of slighly compressed globular form narrowing at the short neck and mouth, painted in bright cobalt blue with two archaistic dragons, each with hooked claws and curling bifurcated tail, between double-line borders and a single line at the mouth, the base inscribed with a six-character reign mark in double-circle.

Note: Yongzheng jars of this form and design are rare; a closely related example of slightly larger dimensions, from the J.M. Hu Family collection, was sold in our New York rooms, 4th June 1985, lot 24; and another with a cover in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Qingdai yuyao ciqi, vol. 1, pt. II, Beijing, 2005, pl. 37, together with a jar of this form but decorated with fruit and flower sprays, pl. 38.

Almost abstract in form, the archaistic scrolling style of the dragon on the present vase is inspired by highly stylised phoenix designs that adorned mallet vases of the Kangxi period; for example see one in the Meiyintang collection illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 2, London, 1994, pl. 754. Compare also a Yongzheng waterpot enamelled in iron red with two dragons of this type, with a reign mark and of the period, from the Edward T. Chow collection, sold twice in these rooms, 25th November 1980, lot 127, and 28th April 1998, lot 813.

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

Lot 3108. A pair of blue and white 'lotus pond' saucer dishes, marks and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 11.4 cm., 4 1/2 in. Estimate 250,000 — 350,000 HKD. Lot Sold 1,040,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's

each with the shallow sides springing from a countersunk base enclosed by an unglazed footring, finely painted with soft washes of cobalt-blue within pencilled borders, the centre with a medallion enclosing a pair of mandarin ducks swimming amidst lotus flower pads and slender aquatic grasses, the underside with a matching frieze of four ducks swimming across gently rippling water between lotus sprays, all below a band of five dragons pursuing 'flaming pearls' at the rim, the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark within a double-circle.

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

Lot 3110. A fine and very rare pair of blue and white 'lanca' bowls, marks and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 9.2 cm., 3 5/8 in. Estimate 400,000 — 600,000 HKD. Lot Sold 1,340,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's

of Chenghua inspiration, each of delicately potted wide shape with steep well-rounded sides, painted around the exterior with six lança characters, each supported on a lotus bloom, between double and single line borders, the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark within a double-square.

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

Lot 3114. A blue and white floral bowl, mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 24 cm., 9 1/2 in. Estimate 250,000 — 350,000 HKD. Lot Sold 400,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's

supported on a splayed foot, the curved sides flaring at the rim, painted in vivid tones of cobalt-blue in the Ming-style with simulated 'heaping and piling', the interior decorated with a central medallion of a blooming peony, within a foliate scroll band at the rim, the exterior painted with flowers such as peony, hollyhock, lotus, and chrysanthemum, all borne on leafy scrolls above upright stylised lappets, the underside inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark.

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

Lot 3115. A blue and white 'prunus'meiping vase, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period -1662-1722); 19.5 cm., 7 3/4 in. Estimate 300,000 — 500,000 HKD. Lot Sold 437,500 HKD. Photo Sotheby's

the curved sides supported on a double-pierced foot, rising to a rounded shoulder set with four semi-circular handles, surmounted by a short waisted neck with a lipped mouth, the exterior naturalistically painted in soft washes of cobalt-blue with a pair of butterflies, flying amidst a garden scene with a blossoming prunus tree, flanked by bamboo shoots and a peony branch springing from craggy rocks, wood stand.

Provenance: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 28th November 1979, lot 164 (one of a pair, the mate unsold separately in lot 3113).

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

Lot 3116. A fine blue and white 'boys' square vase, mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 12.5 cm., 4 7/8 in. Estimate 1,200,000 — 1,800,000 HKD. Lot Sold 2,900,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's

of rectangular form, supported on a shallow circular footring, finely painted and washed in deep underglaze-blue on all four sides with a rectangular panel enclosing numerous boys playing in a garden, some gathered around a fish bowl, some with hobby horses and lotus leaf parasols, some on a garden terrace wielding a Buddhist image, prayer beads and a double gourd and others playing with twigs whilst storytelling, all reserved on a ground filled with scrolling lotus, the base with an underglaze blue six-character mark.

Provenance: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 1st November 1999, lot 378.  

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

Lot 3117. An extraordinary blue and white 'lotus' mouth bottle vase, mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 34.7 cm., 13 5/8 in. Estimate 20,000,000 — 30,000,000 HKD. Lot Sold 23,060,000 HKD  (2,956,410 USD) to an Asian Private. Photo Sotheby's

very finely potted with an almost globular body resting on a wide splayed footring and rising smoothly to a tall slender neck encircled by a single raised fillet and modelled at the mouth in the form of a lotus pod enclosed by nine moulded petals, the centre of the pod with a low lipped rim forming the mouth of the vase, applied on the shoulders with two lion masks supporting mock ring handles, the main field of the body finely painted in underglaze blue of vibrant tone with 'heaping and piling', in imitation of early Ming decoration, with a composite floral meander, including lotus, camellia, mallow, hibiscus and rose, on slender stems with curling leaves, all between a border of stiff upright lappets, each enclosing a string of five pearls against the blue ground, and a band of waves below the raised white fillet, a classic scroll around the foot, the upper neck painted to correspond to the modelling with overlapping petals, the thick clear glaze evenly suffused with bubbles giving a fine 'orange-peel' effect to the glossy surface, the base inscribed with a six-character reign mark within double circles in underglaze-blue.

Provenance: Sotheby's Hong Kong,15th May, 1990, lot 135.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 29th April, 1997, lot 408.  

Literature: Sotheby's Hong Kong, Twenty Years, 1973-1993, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 171.
Sotheby's. Thirty Years in Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2003, pl. 265.

Note: No other blue and white vase of this elegant form appears to have been published although Yongzheng vases of the same form and with the same mark are known with a variety of fine monochrome glazes.

Compare the vase in the Palace Museum, Beijing, decorated in relief under a celadon glaze with archaistic dragons, phoenix and scrolls below a band of stiff leaves, illustrated in Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong, Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Collection, 1989, p 270, pl. 99, together with a second vase with a plain's robin's egg glaze, p. 291, pl. 120 ; an undecorated celadon-glazed vase was included in the exhibition Chinese Ceramics, Tokyo National Museum, 1994, cat. no. 331 ; another celadon example is illustrated in Ayers, The Baur Collection Geneva. Chineses Ceramics, vol. III, 1972, nos. A362-3, together with a teadust-glazed piece, no A391 ; and a flambé-glazed vase in Ayers, Far Eastern Ceramics in the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1980, col. 65.

The shape may be based on a bronze prototype which, however, would have had a lobed 'garlic-head' mouth instead of the raised lotus petals. Chenghua blue and white porcelain would have also served as inspiration; for example see a vase of related form to the present example, the pear-form body rising to a lotus bud shaped mouth with raised overlapping layers of petals, and the body freely painted with lotus blooms on meandering leafy stems, sold in these rooms, 9th October 2007, lot 1557.

Ming style decoration of this type can similarly be seen on other fine Yongzheng vases; for example, on a piece in Beijing, illustrated in Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong, Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Collection, 1989, p. 174, pl. 3.

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

Lot 3123. A superb blue and white 'Bajixiang' moonflask, seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 49.5 cm., 19 1/2 in. Estimate 10,000,000 — 15,000,000 HKD. Lot Sold 17,460,000 HKD  (2,238,462 USD) to an Asian Trade. Photo Sotheby's

the circular body rising from a splayed rectangular foot to a cylindrical neck flanked by a pair of 'S'-scroll handles, finely painted in varying tones of cobalt-blue enhanced by simulated 'heaping and piling', each side centred on a large boss with a floral medallion comprising ruyi-shaped petals, enclosed within a narrow lappet border and bold lotus petal panels containing the Eight Buddhist Emblems, bajixiang, surrounded by a key-fret border, the flat sides with a narrow band of leafy scrolls issuing lotus blooms, the neck and foot each painted with a lingzhi scroll and krey-fret around the rim, inscribed on the base with a six-character seal mark in underglaze-blue.

Provenance: Sotheby's London, 11th December 1990, lot 327.
Christie's Hong Kong, 3/4th November 1996, lot 775.  

Literature: Sotheby's Hong Kong, Twenty Years, 1973-1993, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 171.
Sotheby's. Thirty Years in Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2003, pl. 265.

Note:The present exquisitely painted moonflask ranks amongst the finest examples of blue and white wares made during the reign of the Qianlong emperor. The central design is inspired by early Ming decoration, such as that seen on the interior of a Yongle period blue and white basin, in the collection of the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, illustrated in He Li, Chinese Ceramics: A New Comprehensive Survey, Taipei, 1996, p. 219, no. 398. In its form, it is also after Yongle vessels that were inspired and based on a Middle-Eastern metal prototypes. However, it is worth noting that this flask was also copied and made in silver during the Qianlong period; see a silver moonflask sold in our London rooms, 11^th June 1996, lot 139.

A closely related Qianlong mark and period flask is illustrated in Sekai toji zenshu, vol. 15, Tokyo, 1983, pl. 151; another is included in the Illustrated Catalogue of Ch'ing Dynasty Porcelain in the National Palace Museum, vol. 1, Taipei, 1981, pl. 5; and a third is published in Chinese Ceramics in the Idemitsu Collection, Tokyo, 1987, pl. 949. See also a flask from the collection of Edward T. Chow sold in these rooms, 19^th May 1981, lot 544; and another sold in our London rooms, 11^th December 1990, lot 327.

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

Lot 3124. A small blue and white ewer with flowers, mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 9 cm., 3 1/2 in. Estimate 250,000 — 300,000 HKD. Lot Sold 1,100,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's.

of finely potted pear shape, set to one side with a curved spout and opposite a C-shaped handle, painted in vivid tones of underglaze blue with lotus scrolls and peonies on the body, all set between stylised flowers and pendant jewels collaring the mouth and upright lappets skirting the base, the six-character mark inscribed in underglaze-blue within a double circle on the base.

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

Lot 3125. A rare blue and white 'peach' dish, mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 27.2 cm., 10 3/4 in. Estimate 600,000 — 800,000 HKD. Lot Sold 740,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's.

supported on a slightly tapered foot rounding at the sides to a flared rim, the interior painted in deep purplish-tones of cobalt-blue with two branches laden with plump peaches issuing from delicate leafy stem, exterior sides painted with a meandering scroll of morning glory, its tendrils further issuing large trefoil leaves, all enclosed within double-line borders repeated at the rims.

Provenance: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 31st October 2004, lot 176. 

Note:A similar dish was sold in our New York rooms, 8th November 1980, lot 183; and another in our London rooms, 13th December 1983, lot 301. Compare also a Yongzheng dish in the Percival David Foundation, London, with the same decoration on a yellow enamel ground illustrated in The World's Great Collections. Oriental Ceramics, vol. 6, Tokyo, 1982, pl. 247; and another sold at Christie's London, 14th July 1980, lot 243.

The painting style of the peaches on this dish is closely related to that found on the famous Yongzheng peach vase, in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Wang Qingzheng, Underglaze Blue and Red, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 175.

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

Lot 3126. A blue and white hexagonal 'Hu' vase, seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 46.5 cm., 18 1/4 in. Estimate 2,500,000 — 3,500,000HKD. Lot Sold 6,980,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's.

of archaistic fanghu form, the hexagonal body supported on a pronounced foot, gently curving at the shoulders to a flared neck, flanked by a pair of tubular lug handles, well painted in brilliant tones of underglaze blue, the body encircled by two bands, the upper with a continuous lotus scroll, the lower with a composite floral meander, separated by a key-fret border and upright ruyi-heads, the handles and the rim decorated with waves above a ruyi border, the bottom register with a scroll band below petal panels, the base inscribed with a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue.

Provenance: Christie's Hong Kong, 3/4th November 1996, lot 773. 

Note: The present vase belongs to a well known group of blue and white wares produced in the Imperial kilns at Jingdezhen during Qianlong's reign. In its decoration, however, it differs from its similar relations and only one other almost identical example is known ; a vase sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 3rd November 1996, lot 773. More common are those with the wave motif painted as a broad band around the neck between the handles. Furthermore, the key-fret band seen on this vase, dividing the neck and body decoration, is also an unusual feature, not seen on other vases in the group.

For related examples see a vase in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the Special Exhibition of K'ang-hsi, Yung-cheng and Ch'ien-lung Porcelain Wares of the Ch'ing Dynasty, Taipei, 1986, cat. no. 68; one in the Capital Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Gems of the Official Kilns, Taipei, 1993, pl. 84; and another from the Yokogawa collection, published in the Illustrated Catalogue of Tokyo National Museum. Chinese Ceramics, vol. II, Tokyo, 1990, cat. no. 565.

Further compare a vase in the Palace Museum, Beijing, published in Treasures in the Royalty. The Official Kiln Porcelain of the Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003, pl. 238; one in the collection of the Jingdezhen Ceramics Museum included in Liu Liang-yu, Ch'ing Official and Popular Wares, Taipei, 1991, p. 154 left; and a vase sold in these rooms, 8th October 2008, lot 2567.

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

Lot 3127. A fine blue and white bottle vase, seal mark and period of Jiaqing (1796-1820); 31.5 cm.,123/8 in. Estimate 3,000,000 — 4,000,000 HKD. Lot Sold 5,300,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's.

the pear-shaped body rising from a short straight foot to a long slender neck flanked by ruyi-shaped handles, the neck painted in vibrant tones of underglaze-blue on each side with a stylised lotus flower amidst foliate scroll, below a band of ruyi-heads at the rim, the  body with two pairs of confronting phoenix centred on a lotus flower below a bat in a band of ruyi lappets, with a band of lappets skirting the foot, the base inscribed with a six-character seal mark in underglaze-blue.

Provenance: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 27th April 2003, lot 214. 

Note: No other Jiaqing vase of this form and decoration appears to have been published. The design derives from Qianlong pear-shaped vases, which depicted archaistic scrolling dragons instead of phoenix and similar decorative bands on the mouth, neck and shoulder; compare an example, with a Qianlong reign mark and of the period, sold in our London rooms, 29th March 1977, lot 266; and another sold at Christie's New York, 6th November 1980, lot 359. For a Qianlong vase painted with a related band of jewelled ruyi at the mouth and lappets at the foot, the body painted with two scrolling phoenixes and dragons amongst peony sprays, see one sold at Christie's London, 20-21st June 1981, lot 320. 

Blue and white vessels flanked with ruyi handles are more commonly seen on moonflasks; see an example attributed to the Jiaqing period, decorated with two archaistic dragons encircling a shou medallion on a lotus scroll ground, included in the exhibition Ethereal Elegance. Porcelain Vases of the Imperial Qing. The Huaihaitang Collection, Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2007, cat. no. 113; and another painted with peach branches, with Jiaqing reign mark and of the period, in the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (III), Shanghai, 2000, pl. 148.

The emperor of all birds, the phoenix is the motif for the empress of China while a pair of flying phoenix represents the wish for a harmonious marriage. The auspicious symbolism is accentuated in the depiction of lotus flowers, which stand for harmony and purity, and the wish-granting ruyi handles. Thus this vase may have been presented on the occasion of a wedding.

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

Lot 3129. A Ming-style blue and white bottle vase, Seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 37 cm., 14 1/2 in. Estimate 350,000 — 450,000 HKD. Lot Sold 1,040,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's.

the globular body rising from a short spreading foot to a tall elegant waisted neck, moulded around the body with double fillets and a further single fillet at the stepped shoulder, finely painted in rich 'heaped and piled' cobalt-blue tones with a composite flower scroll band, all between lotus lappet and 'classic' scroll bands at the base and a ruyi band at the shoulder, the neck with stiff leaf and key-fret bands below a wave band at the rim, the base inscribed with an underglaze blue six-character mark.

Provenance: Christie's Hong Kong, 18th March 1991, lot 584.

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

Lot 3131. An extremely large blue and white 'bajixiang' dish, Seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 43.9 cm., 17 1/4 in. Estimate 500,000 — 700,000 HKD. Lot Sold 3,620,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's.

robustly potted with shallow curved sides supported on a tapered foot rising to a flat rim, vividly painted in the centre with a stylised lotus enclosed by flying bats and florets, the cavetto decorated with beribboned bajixiang above lotus blossom scrolls, all within a continuous band of cresting waves at the rim, the underside with further bats hovering above turbulent waves crashing against rocks, encircling the countersunk base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark.

Provenance: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 29th April 1992, lot 139.

Exhibited: Min Chiu Society (according to label).

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

Lot 3136. A fine blue and white 'dragon' bowl, mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 17 cm., 6 5/8 in. Estimate 350,000 — 450,000 HKD. Lot Sold 1,220,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's.

of ogée form supported on a short straight foot, painted in rich cobalt-blue tones around the exterior with two ferocious five-clawed dragons prancing through ruyi-head clouds, the interior with a dragon medallion, the base inscribed with an underglaze blue six-character mark.

Provenance: Christie's Hong Kong, 31st March 1992, lot 600.

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

Lot 3139. A fine pair of blue and white footed saucer dishes, marks and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 11.2 cm., 4 3/8 in. Estimate 180,000 — 220,000 HKD. Lot Sold 860,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's.

the flaring sides of each supported on a splayed foot with an upturned mouthrim, the interior brilliantly decorated in cobalt-blue with a central medallion of a visvavajra, enclosed by a frieze of beribboned bajixiang, the exterior of the rim painted with a key-fret band above a skirt of upright stylised lappets encircling the foot, the recessed base inscribed in underglaze blue with a four-character reign mark within a double-circle.

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

Lot 3140. A pair of blue and white 'dragon' dishes, Seal marks and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 17.1 cm., 6 3/4 in. Estimate 280,000 — 350,000 HKD. Lot Sold 375,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's.

each with rounded sides rising to a flaring rim, painted in rich cobalt-blue on the interior with a five-clawed dragon chasing a 'flaming pearl' against trailing flames, the exterior with a further pair of striding dragons each pursuing a 'flaming pearl', the underside inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark.

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

Lot 3141. A fine pair of small blue and white stemcups, Seal marks and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 6.9 cm., 2 3/4 in. Estimate 250,000 — 300,000 HKD. Lot Sold 680,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's.

each well potted with a wide cup of shallow rounded form, the exterior delicately painted with six kui dragons in various positions, set below a band of small florets made of small dots, the interior left undecorated, the base skirted by a plantain leaf collar, set on a tall splayed sealed foot, decorated with a band of key-fret at the top and further dotted florets around the foot, the base of the foot marked with a six-character reign mark, wooden stands.

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

Lot 3604. A fine and very rare pair of polychrome lacquer decorated zitan side tables, Yongzheng period (1723-1735); 31 7/8 in. (81 cm.) high x 35 in. (88.8 cm.) wide x 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm.) deep. Estimate HKD 6,000,000 - HKD 8,000,000. Price Realized HKD 9,020,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2011. 

The top finely painted in yellow, green and red lacquer with tight swirls in imitation of burl wood, framed by a border of floral sprays and key fret, within the rectangular top frame with beaded edge, above a narrow reticulated waist ornately carved with stylized angular archaistic scrolls above openwork aprons framing further archaistic scrolls, raised on legs of conforming design featuring hooked tabs at the midsection and repeated as stylized 'hoof' feet flanking base stretchers, the wood of attractive grain and figure. 

Provenance: Property from the Anno Moffo Sarnoff Estate, sold at Sotheby's New York, 21 September 2006, lot 170

Lot 3607. A very rare pair of imperial embellished hardwood corner-leg tables,Qianlong period (1736-1795); 33 3/4 in. (85.7 cm.) high x 15 1/2 in. (119 cm.) wide x 8 5/8 in. (39.4 cm.) deep. Estimate HKD 8,000,000 - HKD 12,000,000. Price Realized HKD 9,844,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2011. 

Each side of the top frame carved with a continuous border of wan fret, above a narrow waist carved in relief with I-shaped emblems incised with keyfret and aprons carved with downward lappets, the corners of both frame and aprons fitted with gilt brass hardware cast with buddhist emblems amidst cloud scroll, all supported on thick legs of square section joined by 'rope-twist' stretchers inset with jade bi and cloisonne plaques and terminating in scroll-form feet carve with upright acanthus leaves. 

Provenance: An American private collection, New York, acquired before 1945.