Lot 1215. A rare small rock crystal Hu-form vase, Qianlong four-character carved mark  within a square and of the period  (1736-1795); 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm.) high, box. Estimate USD 70,000 -  USD 90,000. Price realised USD 86,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2012

The flawless material carved in imitation of an archaic bronze hu, with narrow raised bands encircling the body, neck, rim and foot, the mark reserved on a finely stippled matte square on the base.

Provenance: Christie's, London, 26 January 1976, lot 179.
Shuisongshi Shanfang Collection.
Bloch Collection; Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 23 October 2005, lot 119.

Literature: G. Tsang and H. Moss, Arts of the Scholar's Studio, Oriental Ceramic Society, Hong Kong, 1986, pp. 244-5, no. 235.

Note: This fine, flawless vase of simple design, with its four-character Qianlong nian zhi mark, appears to be related to other small flawless rock crystal scholar's table articles produced by the Palace Workshops (Zaobanchu), including two plain cylindrical brush pots with similarly executed four-character Qianlong yuyong marks (made for the personal use of the Qianlong Emperor). One is published by G. Tsang and H. Moss, Arts from the Scholar's Studio, Oriental Ceramic Society, Hong Kong, 1986, pp. 156-7. no. 130, the other in The Literati Mode, Sydney L. Moss Ltd., London, 1986, no. 115. Not only might these pieces have graced a desk or table in the imperial palace, but they are the types of pieces that might have been included in one of the Qianlong Emperor's treasure boxes. Other crystal table articles in the Qing court collection, Beijing, are illustrated in The Complete Treasures of the Palace Museum - Small Refined Articles of the Study, Shanghai, 2009, no. 92, a mountain-form brush rest; no. 266, two mountain-peaked seals; and no. 281, a square seal paste box.