The pear-shaped body of rectangular section with chamfered corners rising from a low straight foot, subtly moulded on the broad sides with peach-shaped panels, the neck flanked with two tubular handles, applied thickly overall with an unctuous glaze of pale grey colour, the neatly cut, unglazed foot ring with a dark purplish-brown dressing, wood stand, Chinese wood box with inscription.

Provenance: A Japanese private collection.

Note: For Song dynasty prototype of this vase with similar 'apricot leaf' panels and an inscription by the Emperor Qianlong on the base, see the Illustrated Catalogue of Sung Dynasty Porcelain in the National Palace Museum - Southern Sung Kuan Ware Book 1 (Part I), Hong Kong, 1962, pl. 6.

The Qianlong Emperor's admiration for both Song glazes and bronze vessels resulted in several archaistic fanghu vases of this type to be made in the 18th century, including one in the British Museum, illustrated in Oriental Ceramics, The World's Great Collections, vol. 5, Tokyo, 1981, no. 235; another similar in shape and size with the present one but a Ge-type was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 November 2004, lot 1181. Compare also with a Ru-type example of a larger size sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 27 May 2008, lot 1805 (42 cm. high). 

Christie's. Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, HKCEC Grand Hall, 1 June 2011