Verseuse couverte en porcelaine bleu blanc, Chine, dynastie Qing, Marque à six caractères en cachet en bleu sous couverte et époque Daoguang (1821-1850). Estimate €20,000 – €30,000 ($22,478 - $33,717). Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2015

The ewer is painted in the Ming style imitating 'heaping and piling' with a cartouche to each side of the body, one enclosing a fruiting peach branch and the other a loquat branch, surrounded by ascending flowering branches and a band of lotus scrolls to the lower neck. The sides are applied with a curved handle painted with lingzhi sprigs and a spout decorated with meandering branches. The cover is painted with an intricate chrysanthemum scroll; restoration. 10 ¾ in. (27.4 cm.) high

Provenance: Property of a Noble European Lady
Collection of a Spanish diplomat, who was based in Shanghai in the 1940s.  

Notes: his style of ewer was popular throughout the Qing dynasty, particularly in the Qianlong period, and imitates early 15th century prototypes. The intricate form of this ewer is derived from Near Eastern metalwork with which the Chinese came into contact through trade and exchange of exotic objects in the late Yuan and early Ming periods. 

For an example of the Ming prototype of this exact design, see J. Ayers and R. Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, 1986, vol. II, no. 618.

A very similar ewer and cover, also with Daoguang mark and of the period, sold at Christie's, London 12 July 2005, lot 172.

A MING-STYLE BLUE AND WHITE EWER AND COVER, CHINA, QING DYNASTY, DAOGUANG SIX-CHARACTER SEAL MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF THE PERIOD (1821-1850)

Christie's. ART D'ASIE, 9 June 2015, Paris