Lot 149. A very rare large celadon-glazed carved and moulded 'flowers and fruit' bowl, Yongzheng seal mark and of the period (1723-1735); 33.5cm (13 1/4in) diam. Estimate: HK$600,000 - HK$1,000,000. Sold for HK$ 1,500,625 (€ 170,838) inc. premium. © Bonhams 2001-2019

Elegantly potted with deep rounded sides rising to an everted rim, the exterior with raised flowering sprigs of peony, lotus and rose with finely carved details, the floral sprigs set between leafy fruiting branches bearing peaches, persimmons and pomegranates below the rim and sprays of begonia, aster and dianthus encircling the base, all interspersed with stylised cloud scrolls, covered with a translucent soft celadon glaze, pooling in the recesses to give depth to the decoration, except for the tapered iron-dressed foot ring, the base with the six-character zhuanshu mark in underglaze blue.

Provenance: Geoffrey Cunliffe, London, and by descent to the present owner

Note: Geoffrey Cunliffe was brother of Lord (Rolf) Cunliffe, the well-known British collector of Chinese ceramics and bronzes in the 1950-60s, the final part of whose collection was sold at Bonhams London in 2002. His brother Geoffrey bought a few pieces initially alongside Rolf in the late 1940s, but unlike his brother he did not follow this new interest to form an extensive collection.

Remarkable for their impeccable quality of the glaze, elegant shapes and refined bodies; monochrome porcelains made in the Imperial kilns at Jingdezhen during the Yongzheng reign are ranked among the finest examples of Imperial wares throughout the Qing dynasty.

The present lot is no exception. Decorated with detached sprigs of flowers and fruit, and with such fine detail that all the plants can be identified. For example, roses which are less common in Chinese art, can be identified here because of the inclusion of six rose hips behind the two large blossoms.

See a similar celadon glazed bowl, Yongzheng seal mark and period, illustrated by R.Krahl, The Anthony de Rothschild Collection of Chinese Ceramics, vol.2, 1996, pp.258-259, no.144. 

A similar example was sold at Christie's New York, 18 September 2003, lot 350; and another example, formerly in the collection of the British Rail Pension Fund, was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3615; a further example was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8 April 2011, lot 3033.