Robustly potted with an angular sloping shoulder rising from a short splayed foot to a waisted neck encircled by a raised horizontal rib, flanked atop by a pair of tubular handles, covered overall with an even sea-green glaze suffused with colourless and subtle russet crackles, the unglazed foot rim covered with a dark brown dressing.  

Provenance: A Japanese private collection, by repute.

Note: he present vase exemplifies the Qianlong Emperor's fascination with archaism and innovation, greatly inspired in its glaze from the subtle Imperial Southern Song dynasty Guan glaze, yet reinterpreting it in this impressive size and form drawing from archaic bronze hu vessels, thus reflecting the trend of innovation within tradition, which took place during the Yongzheng reign and continued in the Qianlong reign. In addition to the Guan glaze, the Ge, Ru and Jun glazes of the Song dynasty were particularly popular where the Qianlong Emperor not only collected them but also commissioned porcelain using the similar glaze for his appreciation. To produce a vase of this demanding form and monumental size would have required considerable expertise from the Jingdezhen potters, thus the present lot is an outstanding example of the skilful workmanship achieved during the Qianlong reign. 

Only a few vases of this size and shape appear to have been published. Compare a Qianlong mark and period Guan-type vase of similar size and shape sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8 April 2013, lot 3051. See also two Qianlong vases of this form but covered in a Ru-type and Ge-type glaze respectively, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 31 May 2010, lot 2010 and Christie's New York, 21 September 2004, lot 315. Further compare a café-au-lait-glazed hu vase of similar size and shape from the Qing Court Collection, see The Complete Collection of the Treasures of the Palace Museum. Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, pl.61.

For various forms of Yongzheng and Qianlong vases covered in a comparable Ge-type glaze from the Qing Court Collection in the Palace Museum, Beijing, see ibid., pls. 204 and 208.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 29 May 2018, 14:00 HKT, HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY