A Very Rare Guan-Type Quadruple Vase. Yongzheng Four-Character Seal Mark In Underglaze Blue And Of The Period (1723-1735). Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2012.

The vase is unusually constructed as four conjoined bottle vases of cylindrical shape, with waisted necks and lipped rims, and is covered overall with a pale blue-grey glaze suffused with a wide pattern of dark golden crackle. The base of each vase has one character of the reign mark, and is covered with a blue-grey glaze encircled by the foot rim which is covered in a brown dressing, in imitation of Song dynasty Guan wares. 4 in. (10.2 cm.) high - Estimate $120,000 - $150,000

Provenance: Stephen Junkunc, III. 

Notes: Vases of this rare type, potted as conjoined groupings of identical vases covered in a monochrome glaze, appear to have originated during the Yongzheng period and continued to be made in the Qianlong period. A similar vase described as Guan type, with the same type of Yongzheng mark, is illustrated in Qingdai yuyao ciqi, Vol. I, Part 2, Beijing 2005, pp. 326-7, no. 149. Another very similar vase, from the James W. and Marilyn Alsdorf Collection, was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 23 March 1993, lot 735, and again, from the Robert Chang Collection, 2 November 1999, lot 524. A slightly larger version, with 'Ge'-type glaze, was included in the exhibition, Recent Acquisitions, Chinese Imperial & Export Porcelain, Cloisonné & Enamel Wares, 80th Anniversary, S. Marchant & Son, London, 2005, no. 46.