Lot 192. A rare pair of large 'Dayazhai' purple-ground jardinières, Guangxu period (1875-1908); 39.5cm diam. Estimate HK$400,000 - 600,000. Sold for HK$ 687,500 (€65,171). Photo: Bonhams.

Each luxuriously decorated on the exterior with leafy branches issuing large blossoms including, tree peonies and hydrangea, on a vivid purple ground, incised below the rim in kaishu with the three characters 'Dayazhai', beside an iron-red zhuanshu seal mark reading 'Tiandi yijiachun' framed by confronted dragons pursuing a flaming pearl, the interior covered in a turquoise glaze, the base with a four-character 'yongqing changchun' kaishu mark (2). 

Note: The mark Dayazhai (Studio of the Greater Odes) has been associated with the Dowager Empress Cixi. Although no such hall has been identified, a wooden framed plaque has been found in the Imperial workshops, bearing the characters Dayazhai and with one of two seals reading Tiandi Yijia Chun: see Guo Xingkuan and Wang Guangyao, Guanyang Yuci: Gugong bowuyuan cang Qingdai zhici guanyang yu Yuyao, Beijing, 2007, pp.145-147. According to the authors, in the 12th year of Tongzhi (1873) work began on the restoration of the Yuanming Yuan, and by 1874, the interior of the Tiandi Yijia Chun would have been in need of furnishing.

Rosemary Scott in her article For Her Majesty's Pleasure - Dayazhai Porcelain, published by Christie's Hong Kong, 3 December 2008, p.23, suggests that the new-style porcelains were not produced until the Guangxu reign, and by the second year of Guangxu, 4,922 porcelains had been produced bearing both Dayazhai and Tiandi Yijia Chun marks. As the restoration of the Yuanming Yuan had been halted for economic reasons, the vessels would have been delivered to the Forbidden City. 

The ground colour purple, as on the present jardinières, is more typically found on smaller sized wares. Compare further related porcelain cups and bowls in the same purple-ground colour palette and bearing Dayazhai and Tian Di Yi Jia Chun marks, illustrated by Guo Xingkuan and Wang Guangyao, op cit, pp.202-203. Additionally, a small purple-ground 'Dayazhai' zhadou, with very similarly depicted leafy branches bearing tree peonies and hydrangea, was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 3 December 2008, lot 2217. There are few exceptions of 'Dayazhai' purple-ground wares that are of considerable size, including this pair of jardinières and an Imperial vase, 42cm high, sold in our London Rooms, 7 November 2013, lot 197.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, Hong Kong, Admiralty, 26 May 2014