Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. 16 Sep 09. New York
A 'famille-rose' incense holder, Qing dynasty, 18th century
Lot 287. A 'famille-rose' incense holder, Qing dynasty, 18th century; height 6 1/2 in., 16.5 cm. Estimate 10,000—12,000 USD. Sold 60,000 USD. photo courtesy Sotheby's
of cylindrical form molded and reticulated to portray a windswept figure holding a fly-whisk, with his attendant carrying a large double-gourd, both gazing upward as a crane descends, walking amidst a rockwork landscape, shaded by a tall pine tree, the sky enshrouded by mist, picked out in green, aubergine, yellow and pink enamels with iron-red, the bottom with a porcelain cap fitted with a metal insert to hold the incense (2).
Provenance: Sotheby's London, 29th February 1972, lot 281.
Note: Two slightly taller incense holders, also molded and reticulated, attributed to the Qianlong period, are illustrated in G.C. Williamson, The Book of Famille Rose, London, 1927, p. 198, pl. LXI.