Lot 2132. A fine and extremely rare large underglaze-blue rouleau vase, Kangxi period (1662-1722); 30 1/4 in. (76.8 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 600,000 - HKD 800,000. Price realised HKD 1,940,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2012

The cylindrical body is finely painted in vibrant cobalt blue to depict a continuous landscape scene. It is detailed with a pair of majestic phoenix perched on reticulated rockwork among blooming peony, magnolia and prunus trees with kingfishers flying overhead. The neck is pencilled with bands of ruyi lappets, keyfret scrolls and C-scrolls.

Property from the Walter and Phyllis Shorenstein Collection

Provenance: James Garland, New York
J. Pierpont Morgan, New York
Eben Howard Gray, Boston
Bertram S. Boggis
Sotheby's New York, 16 October 1958, lot 410
Frederick J. and Antoinette H. Van Slyke, sold at Sotheby's New York, 31 May 1989, lot 116 .

Literature: Catalogue of Chinese Porcelain of J. Pierpont Morgan, vol. II, pl. CL  

Exhibited: Exhibited on loan, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Exhibition of Oriental Art, Philadelphia, 1916. 

Note: Very few vases of this exceptionally large size have survived in collections. Another very similar vase, also in the Pierpont Morgan Collection, is illustrated in the Catalogue of Chinese Porcelain of J. Pierpont Morgan, vol. II, col. pl. CL, and was sold at Sotheby's 13 March 1975, lot 352.

The particularly large size and auspicious imagery on the present vase would strongly suggest that this vase was a special commission and possibly a wedding gift. The pair of phoenix in flight, fenghuang yufei, is symbolic of a harmonious marriage and progeny of 'distinguished sons'. Finally the two magpies, xique, symbolise another wedding motif, shuangxi, 'double-happiness', with the character of the word for magpie, xi, being the same as the character for happiness.