Lot 16. A fine lemon-yellow glazed cup, Qianlong seal mark and period (1736-1795), 10.5 cm, 4 1/4  in. Estimate 60,000 — 80,000 GBP. Unsold. © Sotheby's.

the rounded sides rising from a short straight foot to an everted rim, the exterior covered with an even bright yellow glaze stopping neatly at the foot, inscribed to the base with an underglaze-blue seal mark.

Note: First developed at the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen during the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor, lemon yellow glaze was produced through the combination of antimoniate of iron and tin oxide, and was favoured throughout the Qing dynasty, particularly by the Qianlong Emperor. Vessels covered in this attractive glaze required the utmost attention in potting, glazing and firing as the smallest imperfection resulted in the destruction of the piece. Amongst the different monochrome glazes, yellow is the only colour that has direct imperial association. Although imperial yellow-glazed wares had been produced from the early Ming dynasty they were used exclusively for ritual ceremonies; thus lemon-yellow vessels provided the court with an alternative for daily use.

Compare a lemon-yellow bowl of slightly broader proportions, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28th October 2002, lot 712, and again in our Hong Kong rooms, 10th April 2006, lot 1627; another sold at Christie’s London, 15th June 1999, lot 91; and a pair sold twice at Christie’s New York, 10th December 1987, lot 306, and 20th September 2005, lot 283, from the Rodriguez collection.

A very fine lemon-yellow enamelled bowl, mark and period of Qianlong, 11.1cm., 4 3/8 in. Estimate 60,000 — 80,000 GBP. Lot sold 384,000 HKD at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 10th April 2006, lot 1627. Photo: Sotheby's.

 Qianlong seal marks in underglaze blue and of the period (1736-1795), , from the Rodriguez collection, 4 3/8 in. (11.2 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 20,000 - USD 30,000. Price realised USD 31,200 at Christie's Hong Kong 20th September 2005, lot 283. © Christie's Images Ltd 2005.

For the prototype of this glaze, compare a pair of Yongzheng mark and period cups, from the collection of W.F. van Heukelom, sold in these rooms, 5th November 2014, lot 51.

A pair of Imperial lemon-yellow glazed bowls, Yongzheng marks and period, 9.9cm., 3 7/8 in. Sold for 110,500 GBP at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 5th November 2014, lot 51. Photo Sotheby’s

Cf. My post: A pair of Imperial lemon-yellow glazed bowls, Yongzheng marks and period (1723-1735)

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, London, 08 nov. 2017, 11:00 AM