VASE EN PORCELAINE DE LA FAMILLE ROSE ET LAQUE ROUGE SCULPTEE
CHINE, DYNASTIE QING, MARQUE A SIX CARACTERES EN CACHET ET EPOQUE JIAQING (1796-1820)

Lot 175. Reposant sur un petit pied rehaussé de volutes bleues et fleurs, la panse globulaire ornée d'un large registre à décor de grands branchages feuillagés de grenades, la peau du fruit finement émaillée en dégradés de jaunes, bruns et roses, des pivoines blanches et rouges poussant de part et d'autre, la partie inférieure de la panse et l'épaulement ornés de frises de ruyi et rinceaux fleuris sur fond jaune, le col en laque rouge sculptée, à décor de lotus et volutes feuillagées, frises de ruyi et de grecques, les anses en cuivre doré, la base émaillée turquoise et portant la marque à six caractères en cachet de l'Empereur Jiaqing en rouge de fer. Hauteur: 25,3 cm. (10 in.) - Estimé: €15,000-20,000

Note : No other similar vase with a porcelain body and a carved red lacquer neck appears to be published.
The closest example seems to be a Famille rose pear-shaped vase, bearing a Jiaqing six-character sealmark and illustrated in Porcelains with Cloisonné Enamel Decoration and Famille Rose Decoration - The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong 1999, p.188, pl.166. Although this vase is decorated with peaches and bats designs on the body, the borders are enhanced with similar ruyi head friezes and the blue scrolls of the foot are identical.
Another very similar example is an early Daoguang lime-green ground Famille rose Sanduo vase sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8 April 2007, lot 503. On both vases, the refine treatment of the pomegranate fruits with various tones of green, yellow and pink is very much alike.
From the early Daoguang reign, see also a Famille rose bottle vase with a continuous pattern of pomegranate trees and flowers, from the Palace Museum, Op. Cit., p.214, pl.189.
A Famille rose ruby-ground 'pomegranate' bottle vase with Daoguang mark was also offered in our Hong Kong Rooms, 1 November 2004, lot 852.

The pomegranate, with its many seeds, represents the wish for many sons. It was a design especially in favour by the Jiaqing Emperor who specifically ordered wood carvings with the design of pomegranate for his summer palace in 1814. Associated with the peach and the Buddha's Hand citron, the pomegranate symbolises the 'Three Abundances' (sanduo) and convey abundant blessings, sons and longevity.

The very nice carving of the red lacquer neck is also typical from the Jiaqing period, which exclude the hypothesis of a later addition.

Christie's. Art d'Asie. 7 Décembre 2007. 9 avenue Matignon, Paris