A very rare copper-red ‘nine dragons’ vase, Qianlong six-character seal mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1736-1795)
Lot 3198. A very rare copper-red ‘nine dragons’ vase, Qianlong six-character seal mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1736-1795). Estimate HKD 600,000 - HKD 800,000. Price realised HKD 1,000,000 © Christie's Images Ltd 2017
The vase is finely painted in 'pencil' style with nine five-clawed dragons striding powerfully above waves and amid bats and clouds contesting a flaming pearl, below a band of ruyi-heads surrounding the mouth rim and a key-fret border on the foot rim. 12 in. (30.3 cm.) high, box .
Note: The motif of nine dragons appears to be more commonly found on blue and white wares of this period, such as a smaller vase in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze-Red (III), The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum., Hong Kong, p. 132, no. 118; and a broad-shouldered vase sold at Christie’s London, 11 May 2010, lot 210. It is interesting however, to compare to a Jiaqing-marked vase of a very similar design and shape in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Lord Jiaqing and the Journey to Taiwan: A Special Exhibition on Cultural Artifacts of the Qing Emperor Renzong, Taipei, 2016, pp. 286-7, pl. III-36, suggesting that this vase was probably made towards the later part of the Qianlong reign.
Christie's. The Imperial Sale / Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 31 May 2017, Convention Hall