A fine and rare 'eel-skin' glazed cylindrical 'rib bed' vase, Yongzheng four-character incised seal mark and of the period (1727-1735). Estimate HK$2,400,000 – HK$3,000,000 ($310,000 - $390,000). Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2015
The vase is potted of cylindrical form of Song period prototype, the sides gently tapering to the low flat foot. The body is moulded with evenly spaced horizontal raised bands from the shoulder to the foot, the short waisted neck with a lipped rim and wide mouth. Applied overall with a eel-skin glaze and a brown wash around the base foot. The underside base is incised with the reign mark in seal script. 7 1/8 in. (18 cm.) high
Notes: A small group of Yongzheng-marked 'ribbed' vases are recorded, such as two Ge-type glazed vases of the same size, one from the Greenwald Collection, sold at Christies Hong Kong, 1 December 2010, lot 2823, the other from the Carl Kempe Collection, sold at Sothebys Paris, 12 June 2008, lot 102. A vase with a Longquan-type glaze was sold at Christies Hong Kong, 26 November 2014, lot 3266. A slightly larger vase of Guan-type glaze (26.2 cm. high) is illustrated by J. Ayers, Chinese Ceramics in the Baur Collection, Geneva, 1999, no. p. 163, no. 269 (A335).
Compare also the Song prototypes from which the Qing examples derive, illustrated in Kuan Ware of the Sung Dynasty, Porcelain of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, CAFA, 1963, pls. 12 and 13; the present vase is of the same height as the two Song examples.
CHRISTIE'S. THE IMPERIAL SALE & IMPORTANT CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 3 June 2015, Convention Hall