Lot 32. A red-glazed baluster vase, Qing dynasty, 18th century. Height: 39,5 cm. Price realised EUR 37,800 (Estimate EUR 10,000 – EUR 15,000). © Christie's 2024

Provenance: Previously from the collection of Lady Karen Watson of Richmond, acquired in the early 20th century.

Lot 34. A Langyao dish, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Diameter 21,7 cm. Price realised EUR 47,880 (Estimate EUR 3,000 – EUR 5,000). © Christie's 2024

Provenance: Previously from the collection of Professor D.R. Laurence.
With Marchant, London, according to label.

Lot 36. A pair of yellow-glazed 'scrolls' incised dishes, Yongzheng six-character within double circles in underglaze blue and of the period (1723-1735). Diameter 14,7 cm. Price realised EUR 157,500 (Estimate EUR 18,000 – EUR 22,000). © Christie's 2024

Provenance: Previously from an English private family.

Lot 73. Property from a London Estate. A rare green-glazed incised 'bajixiang' stem-bowl, Yongzheng six-character seal mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1723-1735). Diameter 14,7 cm. Price realised EUR 50,400 (Estimate EUR 18,000 – EUR 22,000). © Christie's 2024

Note: The design of the bajixiang and the shape of this very rare stembowl may be found on a Xuande-marked blue and white prototype in the Percival David Foundation, illustrated by S. Pierson, Designs as Signs, London, 2001, fig. 81.The closest comparisons are two yellow-enamelled stembowls of this silhouette and similarly incised with the bajixiang, both with Yongzheng marks: the first previously from the collections of Messrs. Sparks and W. A. Younger, illustrated by S. Jenyns, Later Chinese Porcelain, London, 1961, pl. XXXVI, fig. 2; and the other sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 November 2004, lot 1139.
For an identical green-glazed Yongzheng example, see Christie's Hong Kong, 30 May 2006, lot 1361 (HKD 1,320,000).

Lot 37. A clair de lune slip-decorated ‘butterfly and flower’ dish, Qianlong six-character seal mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1736-1795). Diameter 28,7 cm. Price realised EUR 11,340 (Estimate EUR 5,000 – EUR 8,000). © Christie's 2024

Note: An almost identical dish, also bearing a Qianlong mark, was exhibited and illustrated in Emperor Ch’ien-lung’s Grand Cultural Enterprise, Taipei, 2012, p. 186.

Lot 39. A clair de lune-glazed double gourd vase, Qing dynasty, 18th century, Apocryphal Xuande mark. Height 18 cm, box. Price realised EUR 126,000 (Estimate EUR 10,000 – EUR 15,000). © Christie's 2024

La base porte une marque Xuande apocryphe.

Note: Inspired by the legendary Ru glaze of the Song dynasty, the soft, gentle hue of clair-de-lune is one of the most treasured Qing glazes, and was reserved exclusively for Imperial porcelains. The colour appears first in Kangxi porcelains; clair-de-lune wares were made in the same eight classic shapes for the writing table, as peachbloom-glazed wares, but are considerably rarer.
A similar clair de lune-glazed double gourd vase (17.1 cm high), dated Kangxi-Yongzheng period, is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of New York, Accession Number: 14.40.27.

Lot 40. An important Ru-type hexagonal vase, Qianlong six-character seal mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1736-1795). Height 47 cm. Price realised EUR 69,300 (Estimate EUR 80,000 – EUR 120,000). © Christie's 2024

Note: It is very rare to find a Ru-type-glazed vase of this size and form, with Qianlong mark. Compare to a closely related vase of the same size sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 27 October 2003, lot 705 (HKD 1,743,750). A Qianlong-marked guan-type vase of similar shape, with somewhat different foot, and also of larger size (69.4 cm.), is illustrated in Chinese Ceramics in the Edemitsa Collection, Japan, 1987, p. 969.
Antiquarianism was a popular repertoire in the ceramics made for the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong emperors, and great efforts were made to copy glazes, shapes and decoration from earlier periods, especially the monochromes of the Song dynasty, including Ru, Ge and Guan wares. In the case of the present vase, the Qing potters have skillfully copied the Ru-type-glaze of the Northern Song dynasty Huizong reign, successfully reproducing the sky-blue hue and unctuous quality of the Ru glaze that had fascinated the Qianlong emperor.

Christie's. Art d'Asie, Paris, 13 june 2024