Lot 64. A rare imperial gilt-bronze and cloisonné enamel 'Hundred Shou' bowl, Incised Jiaqing six-character mark and of the period (1796-1820); 15.4cm (6 1/8in) diam. Estimate: 450,000-600,000 HKD. Sold for HK$ 562,500 (€68,016). Photo Bonhams.

With deep rounded sides raised on a short straight foot, decorated on the exterior around the body with two friezes of shou characters in stylised zhuanshu, between bands of classic scrolls at the rim and above the foot, all highlighted in gilt-wire above a rich blue ground. 

Note: Bowls decorated with shou characters, representing longevity, such as the present lot, belong to a group of wares which were specifically used during imperial banquets and birthday celebrations. 

Compare two related 'shou' character bowls, Jiaqing marks and period, of varying shapes, from the Qing Court collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Metal-bodied Enamel Ware, Hong Kong, 2001, pls.154-155; and another illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Enamels 3, Beijing, 2011, pl.73; see also an almost identical pair of bowls in the Museé Nissim de Camondo, Paris, illustrated by B.Quette, ed., Cloisonné. Chinese Enamels from the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, New York, 2011, p.19, fig.2.1; and another related bowl, illustrated by H.Brinker and A.Lutz, Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, New York, 1989, pl.347. 

A similar cloisonné enamel 'hundred shou' bowl, Jiaqing mark and period, was sold at Sotheby's London, 6 November 2013, lot 303.

Bonhams. IMPERIAL SPLENDOUR, 3 Dec 2015 12:00 HKT - HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY