Blue and white porcelains @ Christie's, Chinese Export Art , 25 January 2011, New York

10 janvier 2011

Blue and white porcelains @ Christie's, Chinese Export Art , 25 January 2011, New York

A massive pair of blue and white jars and covers, 19th century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

In Kangxi style, the swelling sides tapering to a flat base, decorated with an overall pattern of shaped panels showing landscapes or flowering plants reserved on a blue ground of scrolling chrysanthemum vine, a classic border on the short necks and the domed covers surmounted by Buddhist lion knops; 33¾ in. (85.7 cm.) high (4) - Estimate $20,000 - $30,000

A blue and white spiral-fluted five-piece garniture. Kangxi period. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

Comprising three baluster vases and covers and a pair of beaker vases, each with spiral-fluted midsection decorated in deep, inky tones of cobalt-blue with leafy, flowering vine, the domed covers molded as overlapping petals; 12½ in. (31.7 cm.) high (8) - Estimate $20,000 - $30,000

Notes: While five-piece garnitures, used as decoration in grand European houses, were favored throughout the Kangxi period, the deeply molded shapes of the present lot and its flat, splayed bases are unusual. These characteristics are also found in lot 3, a garniture enameled in a palette closer to late Ming wucai than to later Kangxi famille verte. Both lots may be early in the Kangxi period. A. du Boulay illustrates a set of three very similar blue and white baluster vases and covers in Christie's Pictorial History of Chinese Ceramics, p. 228.

A large pair of blue and white candlesticks, Transitional period. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

The bell-shaped bodies painted with garden scenes, large stylized leaves on the tall necks and characteristic dentil border at the flaring bases; 13.5 in. (34.3 cm.) high (2) - Estimate $8,000 - $12,000

Notes: This rare form, likely the earliest production of candlesticks in Chinese export porcelain, is after Dutch pewter models. A related, smaller, single candlestick in the Hodroff collection is illustrated by D.S. Howard, Choice of the Private Trader, p. 217.

A pair of blue and white garden seats, 18th-19th century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

Each molded with prunts and painted with bands of scrolling lotus, flanked by fantastic beast handles, the top pierced; 18¼ in. (46.3 cm.) high (2) - Estimate $6,000 - $8,000

A pair of blue and white candlesticks second quarter 18th century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

Of European silver form with knopped standard rising from a domed, chamfered square base, painted with still-lifes of lotus and antiques beneath various decorative borders; 7¾ in. (19.7 cm.) high (2) - Estimate $5,000 - $7,000

A pair of blue and white wine coolers. Qianlong period. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

Each of silver-shape flanked by upright bracket handles, painted with sprays of lotus and other flowers within Fitzhugh-type borders; 7½ in. (19 cm.) high (2) - Estimate $5,000 - $7,000

A pair of blue and white gin bottles, 17th century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

The square sides painted in a soft cobalt blue with flowering plants growing from rockwork, narrow cylindrical necks ringed to take the cord from a cork or wax seal; 10¼ in. (26 cm.) high (2) - Estimate $4,000 - $6,000

A pair of Dutch market blue and white armorial dishes, circa 1755. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

With the the large accollé arms against rococo mantling and within finely pencilled cobalt borders, 13¾ in. (34.9 cm.) diameter (2) - Estimate $2,500 - $4,000

Notes: Dr. J. Kroes (Chinese Armorial Porcelain, pp. 191-2) identifies these arms as of Casparus Greven and Anna Jacoba Lea Gronard(t), who married at the Dutch settlement in Batavia between 1750 and 58.

A blue and white kendi. Kangxi period. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

The tapering neck and curving spout above a petal-molded body painted with various flowering plants and grasses; 8 in. (20.3 cm.) high - Estimate $2,500 - $3,500

A Dutch market blue and white armorial dish, circa 1700-10. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

With the arms of Pelgrom at the rim within lotus vine and above a Chinese landscape vignette with pheasant; 14 in. (35.5 cm.) diameter - Estimate $2,000 - $3,000

Notes: From one of the earliest armorial sets made in China; commissioned by Jacob Pelgrom (1655-1713), a Dutch official at Bengal from 1689 and at Batavia from 1708.

A set of two blue and white platters, circa 1720. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

Each octagonal platter painted with fenced peony within bands of trellis interrupted by flower-heads and cloud-shaped panels; 17¼ in. (43.7 cm.) and 15 in. (38.1 cm.) wide (2) - Estimate $2,000 - $3,000