Lot 1865. A peachbloom-glazed water pot, taibai zun, Kangxi six-character mark and of the period (1662-1722); 5 in. (12.7 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 600,000 - HKD 800,000. Price realised HKD 1,220,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2010
The domed body incised with three dragon roundels visible beneath the rich rose-pink peachbloom glaze, generously mottled with areas of crushed strawberry tone with areas of pale green speckling, shading to a dark greyish-rose tone at the neck below the white-glazed mouth rim, the base and interior with a transparent glaze, wood stand.
Provenance: The David A. Berg Collection, New York
Previously sold at Christie's New York, 21 September 2000, lot 385, to benefit the Harvard University Art Museum, Boston.
Note: Waterpots of this form are known as taibai zun, after the Tang dynasty poet Li Bai, who is often depicted leaning against a large wine jar of similar form. They are also known as qizhao zun because their shape resembles that of a chicken coop. Such waterpots belong to the group of eight peachbloom wares, the 'Eight Great Numbers', ba da ma, of which a complete set is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, illustrated by S. Valenstein, A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1989 (rev. ed.), p. 237. Another complete set of eight from the Jingguantang Collection was sold in at Christie's Hong Kong, 3 November 1996, lot 557.
Similar waterpots can be found in many important collections including the Palace Museum, Beijing, and the Percival David Foundation, London.
Christie's. The Imperial Sale Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 31 May 2010 - Sale 2811
