Lot 6. A small blue and white ovoid 'dragon and phoenix' jar, Wanli six-character mark within a double circle and of the period (1573-1619); 51⁄4 in. (13.3 cm.) high. Estimate USD 10,000 - USD 15,000 (EUR 8,923 - EUR 13,384.50). Price realised USD 16,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.
The sides are decorated with two five-clawed dragons pursuing flaming pearls alternating with two phoenixes, all amidst foliate scroll between a band of 'The Three Friends of Winter' on the shoulder and ribbon-tied 'precious objects' above the foot.
Provenance: Professor Emil Balla (1885-1956) Collection, Marburg, Germany.
Private collection, Pennsylvania.
Christie's New York, 21 March 2002, lot 171.
J.J. Lally & Co. , New York, no.1563 (according to label).
Property of the Collection of Peter Tcherepnine.
Exhibited: Temporary loan: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1955.
Lot 8. A large blue and white jar, late Ming dynasty, early 17th century; 151⁄2 in. (39.3 cm.) high. Estimate USD 12,000 - USD 18,000 (EUR 10,707.60 - EUR 16,061.40). Price realised USD 13,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.
The bulbous body is decorated with four shaped panels enclosing scenes of scholars in a landscape and connected by rectangular landscape panels, all on a ground of leafy flower scroll.
Provenance: The Chinese Porcelain Company, New York.
Property of the Collection of Peter Tcherepnine.
Literature: The Chinese Porcelain Company, Chinese Export Art including Figures from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gill, New York, 2002, p.13, no. 2.
Exhibited: New York, The Chinese Porcelain Company, Chinese Export Art including Figures from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gill, 10-26 October 2002.
Lot 9. A rare blue and white ovoid jar, Chongzhen period (1628-1644); 9 in. (22.8 cm.) high. Estimate USD 8,000 - USD 12,000 (EUR 7,138.40 - EUR 10,707.60). Price realised USD 30,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.
The sides are decorated with a fishbowl filled with carp, flower-filled vases and jardinières below a stylized lotus band encircling the neck.
Property of the Collection of Peter Tcherepnine.
Lot 10. A rare large blue and white ovoid jar and cover, Chongzhen period (1628-1644); 12 7⁄8 in. (32.7 cm.) high. Estimate USD 20,000 - USD 30,000 (EUR 17,846 - EUR 26,769). Price realised USD 60,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.
The sides are decorated with a continuous scene of a procession of scholars crossing a bridge to present themselves at the Guanhan Palace of Chang E, the moon goddess, all between incised borders. The cover is decorated with a scene of scholars.
Property of the Collection of Peter Tcherepnine.
Literature: S. Little, Chinese Ceramics of the Transitional Period: 1620-1683, New York, 1983, pp. 58-59, no. 17.
J.B. Curtis, Chinese Porcelains of the Seventeenth Century, Landscapes, Scholar’s Motifs and Narratives, New York, 1995, pp. 112-113, no. 42.
Exhibited: New York, China House Gallery, China Institute in America, Chinese Ceramics of the Transitional Period: 1620-1683, 1983-1984.
New York, China Institute Gallery, China Institute in America, Chinese Porcelains of the Seventeenth Century, Landscapes, Scholar’s Motifs and Narratives, 22 April – 5 August 1995, no. 42.
Note: There are many versions of the story of how Chang-E, the moon goddess, came to live on the moon, but all the stories involve her husband, the archer Yi, who saved the earth by shooting down the additional suns that were burning it up, and from whom some stories say she stole the elixir of immortality. She was believed to live on the moon with a white hare, which pounded the elixir of immortality with a pestle and mortar, and with the woodcutter Wu Gang, who was condemned to stay on the moon until he could chop down a magically regenerating osmanthus tree. The small hare is seen on the present jar to the right of the head of the attendant to the furthest right.
The specific scene depicted on the jar originates from a dream of the Tang-dynasty Emperor Xuanzong, who reigned from AD 713 to 756. In his dream, Emperor Xuanzong followed the sound of the flute from the Moon Palace, and wandered over a bridge. He then encountered Chang-E, whom he thought was the most beautiful lady, dressed in an exquisite flowing robe. When he woke up from the dream, he composed a song based on the melody of the flute he had heard, which he titled Ni Shang Yu Yi Qu (The Song of Feather-Decorated Robe). A fan painting by the Southern-Song painter, Zhou Chen, depicting the same scene and with a similar composition, is now in the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing. (https://www.dpm.org.cn/collection/paint/234090.html)
In the exhibition catalogue from the China Institute exhibition cited above, it is noted that this jar is one of the largest known examples of this shape of covered jar (p. 58). The author also notes that Chang-E is shown holding a branch of the cassia tree (gui), which “blooms in autumn at the time when the official civil service examinations were held and is consequently a symbol of success.”
Lot 11. A blue and white bottle vase, Chongzhen period (1628-1644); 14 1⁄8 in. (35.9 cm.) high. Estimate USD 8,000 - USD 12,000 (EUR 7,138.40 - EUR 10,707.60). Price realised USD 25,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.
The body is decorated with a scene of two warriors and two courtiers in a landscape, all below Dutch-style leafy flower stems on the tall, flaring neck.
Property of the Collection of Peter Tcherepnine.
Lot 12. A small blue and white ovoid jar and cover, Kangxi period (1662-1722); 7 7⁄8 in. (20 cm.) high. Estimate USD 6,000 - USD 8,000 (EUR 5,353.80 - EUR 7,138.40). Price realised USD 7,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.
The jar is decorated with a scene of a scholar in a pavilion set in a landscape and the cover with a further landscape.
Property of the Collection of Peter Tcherepnine.
Lot 13. A small underglaze blue and copper-red-decorated 'garlic-head' vase, Kangxi period (1662-1722); 7 7⁄8 in. (20 cm.) high. Estimate USD 6,000 - USD 8,000 (EUR 5,353.80 - EUR 7,138.40). Price realised USD 20,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.
The body is decorated with a single dragon encircling the neck and the base with an apocryphal Chenghua mark.
Property of the Collection of Peter Tcherepnine.
Provenance: Roger Keverne Ltd., London.
Literature: R. Keverne, Fine and Rare Chinese Works of Art and Ceramics, Winter Exhibition, London, 2002, p. 60, no. 64.
Exhibited: London, Roger Keverne Ltd, Fine and Rare Chinese Works of Art and Ceramics, Winter Exhibition, November 2002.
Lot 14. A small blue and white conical bowl, 17th century; 41⁄2 in. (11.4 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 4,000 - USD 6,000 (EUR 3,569.20 - EUR 5,353.80). Price realised USD 5,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.
The exterior is delicately decorated in pale shades of underglaze blue with four lotus plants rising from waves and the center of the interior with a small roundel of waves. The base has an apocryphal Xuande mark.
Property of the Collection of Peter Tcherepnine.
Lot 17. A small blue and white rouleau vase, Kangxi period (1662-1722); 105⁄8 in. (27 cm.) high. Estimate USD 8,000 - USD 12,000 (EUR 7,138.40 - EUR 10,707.60). Price realised USD 8,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.
The body is decorated on one side with a Buddhist lion standing on a rock amidst crashing waves within a panel and the opposite side with 'antiques'.
Property of the Collection of Peter Tcherepnine.
Lot 18. A large blue and white bottle vase, Kangxi period (1662-1722); 18 in. (45.7 cm.) high. Estimate USD 12,000 - USD 18,000 (EUR 10,707.60 - EUR 16,061.40). Price realised USD 13,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.
The vase is decorated with an overall design of dense peony scroll separated by decorative bands on the foot, shoulder and below the mouth. The base has an apocryphal Xuande mark.
Property of the Collection of Peter Tcherepnine.
Lot 19. A blue and white bowl, Kangxi six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle and of the period (1662-1722); 73⁄4 in. (19.7 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 7,000 - USD 10,000 (EUR 6,246.10 - EUR 8,923). Price realised USD 11,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.
The exterior is decorated with four-figural scenes below a diaper border on the underside of the flared rim, and the center of the interior with a roundel of five boys holding lotus stems.
Property of the Collection of Peter Tcherepnine.
Provenance: Raymond F. A. Riesco (1877-1964) Collection, England, no. 345.
Lot 20. A blue and white bowl, Kangxi period (1662-1722); 73⁄4 in. (19.7 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 4,000 - USD 6,000 (EUR 3,569.20 - EUR 5,353.80). Price realised USD 3,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.
The bowl has deep sides that flare towards the rim and are decorated with a continuous scene of two scholars on a bridge in a landscape.
Property of the Collection of Peter Tcherepnine.
Lot 22. A blue and white bowl, Kangxi six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle and of the period (1662-1722); 81⁄2 in. (21.6 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 7,000 - USD 10,000 (EUR 6,246.10 - EUR 8,923). Price realised USD 17,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.
The exterior is decorated with four figural panels enclosing scenes of scholars and ladies in interior settings, and the center of the interior with a roundel depicting three boys at play.
Property of the Collection of Peter Tcherepnine.
Christie's. Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Online, 7 - 24 July 2020
http://www.alaintruong.com/archives/2020/07/26/38449186.html
