Lot 641. A large and rare archaistic cloisonné enamel lozenge-shaped vase, gu, Early 18th century; 46.5cm (18 2/8in) high. Estimate £3,000 - £5,000. Sold for £ 35,250 (€ 40,986). © Bonhams 2001-2021.

The vase of lozenge section, cast as an archaic vessel with vertical flanges on the corners decorated with key-fret designs, the bulging mid-section with stylised taotie masks, the lower and upper sections similarly decorated with hanging plantain leaves dividing lotus sprays borne on tendrils, the interior of the mouth with lotus sprays within dense foliate scrolls beneath a metal liner.

Note: See a related archaistic cloisonné enamel square-shaped vase, early Qing dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Enamels, 2, Beijing, 2011, no.36.

Lot 743. A large cloisonné enamel 'precious objects' circular plaque, Qianlong-Jiaqing period (1736-1820); 67.1cm (26 3/8in) diam. Estimate £5,000 - £8,000. Sold for £ 35,250 (€ 40,986). © Bonhams 2001-2021.

Finely enamelled with scholars objects and archaic vessels holding blossoms of peony, narcissus, below leafy gnarled branches issuing magnolia flowers inscribed 'Bai Shi Ru Yi' (May you get everything you wish for), all reserved on a bright turquoise ground with interlocking patterns, bordered with lappet cartouches enclosing lotus-flower heads.

Provenance: Childwickbury Manor, Hertfordshire
Gifted by Jim Joel, owner of Childwickbury Manor, to Leslie Gordon Gwinnell Hill, and thence by descent
Bonhams London, 16 May 2013, lot 332.

Note: Large cloisonné enamel plaques were popular from the second half of the 16th century onwards and became particularly popular during the mid Qing dynasty, bringing vibrant colours to the Imperial palaces' interiors. These plaques were used on screens, large furniture such as Imperial thrones, or as decorative framed hanging panels; see related examples, mid Qing dynasty, illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Enamels, vol.4, Beijing, 2011, pls.133-148; for panels decorated with 'antiques', second half 18th century, see H.Brinker and A.Lutz, Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, New York, 1989, nos.307-310.

See a related pair of cloisonné enamel rectangular wall panels, second half 18th century, decorated with 'antiques', which was sold at Christie's New York, 20 October 2004, lot 689.

Lot 595. A rare cloisonné enamel and gilt-bronze vase, fanghu, 17th century; 39cm (15 1/4in) high. Estimate £6,000 - £8,000. Sold for £ 31,500 (€ 36,626). © Bonhams 2001-2021.

Of square form, supported on a tapered foot rising to a waisted neck, set with a pair of taotie ring-handles on the shoulder, brightly and lavishly enamelled around the exterior with stylised taotie masks, horses around the foot, mythical beasts around the shoulder and neck, all reserved on a turquoise ground decorated with flowers.

Note: Compare with a related cloisonné enamel vase, early Qing dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, with similar band of galloping horses on the foot, illustrated in the Compendium of Collection of the Palace Museum: Enamels 2, Beijing, 2011, no.19. For a related cloisonné enamel vase of square form, late 17th century, of slightly larger size (38.5cm. high), decorated with dragons, see H.Brinker and A.Lutz, Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, New York, 1989, no.157.

Compare with a very similar cloisonné enamel vase, second half of the 17th century, with the same motif and design, which was sold at Christie's New York, 17 September 2010, lot 1033.

Lot 673. A cloisonné enamel beaker vase, Qianlong period (1736-1795); 44.6cm (17 1/2in) high. Estimate £3,000 - £5,000. Sold for £ 31,500 (€ 36,626). © Bonhams 2001-2021.

Of slender form with a compressed ovoid central section rising from a spreading foot to a flaring trumpet neck, decorated to the central section with large and small lotus blossoms borne on scrolling foliage, the neck and foot similarly enamelled between bands of plantain leaves and ruyi-head motifs, all reserved on a bright turquoise ground, the gilt rim and footrim with interlocking 'T'-shaped key-fret.

Lot 620. A very large cloisonné enamel 'lotus' vase, 17th century; 58cm (22 7/8in) high. Estimate £4,000 - £6,000. Sold for £ 26,500 (€ 30,812). © Bonhams 2001-2021.

Of elegant pear shape, rising from a spreading foot to a waisted neck and flared rim, the shoulders set with a pair of lion-mask handles suspending loose rings, the exterior brightly enamelled on a turquoise ground with five registers of meandering scrolling lotus blooms, each separated by thin bands of floral scrolls on a darker blue ground.

Note: See a similar cloisonné enamel vase, early Qing dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Enamels, 2, Beijing, 2011, no.25.

See a similar cloisonné enamel vase, 17th century, which was sold at Christie's London, 8 November 2011, lot 54; and another similar cloisonné enamel vase, 17th century, at Bonhams London, 5 November 2020, lot 221.

Lot 670. A cloisonné enamel and gilt-bronze incense burner, fangding, 17th century; 16cm (6 1/4in) high. Estimate £1,000 - £2,000. Sold for £ 19,000 (€ 22,092). © Bonhams 2001-2021.

The body of gently tapered rectangular form, each side decorated with a lu character amidst scrolling lotus, divided at the edges with notched vertical flanges, the broad flat rim set with a pair of upright loop handles, standing on four curling legs issuing from mythical-beast-heads decorated with scrolling lotus.

Lot 671. A cloisonné enamel and gilt-bronze archaistic beaker vase, gu, Qianlong period (1736-1795); 24.7cm (9 3/4in) high. Estimate £1,000 - £2,000. Sold for £ 16,500 (€ 19,185). © Bonhams 2001-2021.

The trumpet neck and high spreading base decorated with stylised cicada lappets, lotus blooms and archaistic designs, the oviform central section with two large taotie masks within ruyi borders.

Lot 694. A very rare cloisonné enamel and gilt-bronze 'traveling' pricket candlestick, Qianlong period (1736-1795); 19cm (7 1/2in) high. Estimate £4,000 - £6,000. Sold for £ 16,500 (€ 19,185). © Bonhams 2001-2021.

 Cleverly designed to be taken apart for more convenient storage in transit, comprising a domed base, two short vertical shafts variously shaped as small vases, and two deep drip pans, the larger drip pan and domed base forming two halves of a box, the turquoise ground enriched with a continuous floral meander, linked ruyi and blossoming lotus.

Note: The present lot, which was made for a journeying scholar-official, is very rare. See one very similar cloisonné enamel 'travelling' pricket candlestick, Qianlong, illustrated by Sydney L. Moss, Ltd., The Literati Mode, London, 1986, pp.272-273, no.135.

Lot 695. A very rare cloisonné enamel and gilt-bronze 'Da Ji' double gourd vase, Qianlong period (1736-1795); 18.7cm (7 3/8in) high. Estimate £1,500 - £2,000. Sold for £ 14,000 (€ 16,278). © Bonhams 2001-2021.

Of flattened double-gourd form, finely enamelled with a dense pattern of fruiting and flowering leafy vines hung with an abundance of colourful double gourds alternating with a butterfly and a dragonfly, the upper and lower gourd respectively enclosing the characters da and ji within a circular medallion, the sides with the attributes of each of the Eight Daoist Immortals and set with strap handles, all on a turquoise ground.

Provenance: Bonhams London, 10 November 2011, lot 486.

Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: Roger Keverne Ltd., Winter Exhibition, London, 2012, no.65.

Note: This type of gourd decoration can be seen on a large Qianlong mark and period double-gourd vase illustrated by H.Brinker and A.Lutz, Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, New York, 1989, no.294. See also a large cloisonné enamel lamp of this form illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Enamels, vol.4, Beijing, 2011, no.42.

Lot 546. A cloisonné enamel jardinière and cover, 17th century, the wood cover 19th century; 12.8cm (5 1/16in) wide. Estimate £2,500 - £3,500. Sold for £ 12,750 (€ 14,825). © Bonhams 2001-2021.

The vessel of rectangular form with canted corners, rising from four ruyi feet to a flaring rim, brightly enamelled around the exterior with stylised lotus blossoms issuing exuberant scrolling stems within two bands of ruyi heads, all on a deep turquoise ground, with later reticulated hongmu wood cover.

Lot 593. A cloisonné enamel vase, hu,, 17th century; 31cm (12 5/8in) high. Estimate £1,500 - £2,000. Sold for £ 12,750 (€ 14,825). © Bonhams 2001-2021.

The elegant pear-shaped body supported on a splayed foot and rising to a waisted neck with flared rim, the shoulders set with a pair of taotie-mask handles suspending loose gilt-bronze rings, the exterior brightly enamelled on a turquoise ground with sections enclosing large lotus blooms wreathed in scrolling foliage issuing curling leaves, the four main horizontal bands divided by three thinner bands of floral scrolls on a darker blue ground, the spreading foot similarly decorated with a band of lotus blooms.

Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: Roger Keverne Ltd., Summer Exhibition, London, 2013, no.52.

Note: Compare with a cloisonné enamel 'lotus' vase of similar design and form, 17th century, but without taotie-mask handles, illustrated in Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, London, 1989, pl.183; another related example is illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Enamels II, Beijing, 2010, p.52.

A similar cloisonné enamel 'lotus' vase, 17th century, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong on 7 April 2015, lot 3727.

Lot 692. A small cloisonné enamel and gilt-bronze baluster vase, Incised Qianlong seven-character mark and of the period (1736-1795); 12.2cm (4 3/4in) high. Estimate £6,000 - £8,000. Sold for £ 14,000 (€ 16,278). © Bonhams 2001-2021.

The body set with three gilt-bronze lion masks and loose-ring handles, finely decorated with polychrome lotus blooms and scrolling foliage, the rounded stepped shoulder and neck with stylised blossom and scrolling stems, the base incised with the Qianlong six-character mark and additional character 'feng'.

Provenance: a European private collection
Bonhams London, 8 November 2012, lot 245.

Note: The shape of the present lot is extremely rare. A related cloisonné enamel bottle vase, Qianlong five-character mark, in the Robert H.Clague Collection, Phoenix Art Museum, is illustrated by Béatrice Quette, ed., Cloisonné: Chinese Enamels from the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, New York, 2011, pl.130.

See a cloisonné enamel vase, incised Qianlong six-character mark and of the period, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 28 May 2014, lot 3541.