Rare vase double-gourde en porcelaine doucai. Chine, dynastie Qing, marque à six caractères et époque Yongzheng (1723-1735). Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2011

Orné de branchages de vignes desquels pendent des grappes, un écureuil mangeant du raisin sur l'autre côté, marque à six caractères de l'Empereur Yongzheng en bleu sous couverte à la base. Hauteur: 12,5 cm. (4 7/8 in.). Estimate €30,000 - €50,000($43,943 - $73,238). Price Realized €73,000 ($106,928)

Notes: It is very rare to find doucai vases of this form and design and only few examples are known. One, now in the Percival David Foundation, is illustrated by R. Scott in Elegant Form and Harmonious Decoration, London, 1992, p. 128, no. 142, and was previously in the Russell Collection. Another, formerly in the collection of H. R. N. Norton, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 23 October 2005, lot 465 ; and the last one sold in our London Rooms, 7 November 2006, lot 221.

The design on this vase was inspired by the Chenghua grapevine pattern, the variations of which can be found on stem cups, wine cups and small dishes. For Chenghua examples in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, see the catalogue of Special Exhibition of Cheng-hua Porcelain Ware, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2003, cat.no. 177-183. Compare also the two wine cups in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - 38 - Porcelains in Polychrome and Contrasting Colours, p. 197, no. 179.

Christie's. Art d'Asie, 7 June 2011, Paris www.christies.com