An underglaze-blue and copper-red 'Immortals' wine ewer, warmer and a cover, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795)
Lot 609. An underglaze-blue and copper-red 'Immortals' wine ewer, warmer and a cover, Qing dynasty, Qianlong seal period (1736-1795). Height 5 3/4 in., 14.6 cm. Estimate 20,000 — 30,000 USD. Lot sold 43,750 USD. Courtesy Sotheby's.
of double gourd form, the upper bulb comprising the ewer with a loop handle, curved spout, and deep protruding cylindrical base, each decorated with underglaze-blue bats and copper-red lingzhi-shaped clouds, the lower bulb comprising the warmer, set with two beast-mask handles, all painted with the Eight Daoist Immortals in underglaze blue against a ground of swirling copper red waves, the recessed base glazed white and inscribed Gongshou tang zhi within a double square in underglaze blue, wood cover (3).
Provenance: Acquired between 1960s-1980s, and thence by descent.
For wine ewers and warmers of similar form but decorated in underglaze blue with iron-red bats, see two attributed to the 18th/19th century and with Yanghe tang zhi marks, sold at Christie's New York, 18th September 2003, lot 321, and Christie's London, 11th November 2015, lot 623.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 11 september 2019