A copper-red and celadon-decorated blue and white teapot and cover, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Estimate $12,000 – $18,000. Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2015 

The teapot has a globular body lightly carved on each side with a vignette of buildings nestled amidst trees detailed in copper red of brownish color and rocks of pale celadon color, and the domed cover is decorated with flowers growing either side of a celadon rock below the blue knob, all on a very pale blue-green ground. An apocryphal Chenghua mark is on the base. 6 5/8 in. (16.8 cm.) wide

Notes: The combination of celadon green with underglaze cobalt blue and underglaze copper red is relatively rare, no doubt because it was so difficult to fire successfully. With the coming of the Kangxi reign came renewed imperial interest in porcelain and a demand for high quality and variety. In the early years of the reign the potters revived the combination of underglaze blue and underglaze copper red on single pieces, and with the re-establishment of the imperial kiln complex court demand for innovation resulted in molded and carved surface decoration and the use of areas of celadon green being added to this already challenging palette. The favored decorative theme in this technique is landscape with trees, mountains, water and molded and carved celadon-green rocks, as seen on the current tea pot.

Christie's. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 17 - 18 September 2015, New York, Rockefeller Plaza