Lot 3111. A fine and very rare Ru-type glazed vase, fanghu, Qianlong six-character seal mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1736-1795);  11 3/4 in. (29.8 cm.) high. Estimate HK$4,000,000 – HK$6,000,000 ($520,000 - $770,000). Price realised HKD 6,640,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2015

The well-potted pear-shaped vase rises from the flaring foot towards the everted rim, and is encircled by two pairs of raised ribs below the lug-handles. The vase is covered allover in a lustrous pale bluish-green glaze suffused with a fine, clear crackle, Japanese wood box, stand 

Provenance: A Japanese private collection, acquired in prior to the 1950s  

Notes: The form of the present vase is closely related to a Longquan celadonglazed fanghu in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Porcelain of the National Palace Museum - Lung-chuan Ware of the Sung Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1962, p. 28, pl. 1 (fig. 1), which is incised on the base with an imperial poem composed by Emperor Qianlong and titledyong guangyao shuanger ping, Praising a Guanyao doublehandled vase, suggesting that the Emperor may have erroneously identified it as Guan.

The present vase is extremely rare, as no other Ru-type Qianlongmarked example appears to have been published. Similar Yongzhengmarked examples are known, including one sold at Christies Hong Kong, 26 April 2004, lot 946, and another sold at Sothebys Hong Kong, 23 October 2005, lot 319. Compare also to a Yongzheng-marked Ge-type glazed variant in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Catalogue of theSpecial Exhibition of Kang-his, Yung-cheng and Chien-lung Porcelain Ware from the Ching Dynasty in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1986, no. 63. 

fig. 1 A Yongzheng-marked Ge-type glazed vase, fanghu. Collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei.

CHRISTIE'S. THE IMPERIAL SALE & IMPORTANT CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 3 June 2015, Convention Hall