Lot 876. A rare small famille rose green-ground meiping, Jiaqing six-character seal mark in iron red and of the period (1796-1820); 6 ½ in. (16.5 cm.) high. Price realised USD 68,750 (Estimate USD 40,000 - USD 60,000). © Christie's 2021

The high-shouldered vase is elaborately enameled with scroll four larger lotus blossoms, each supporting a peach, admist foliate, all reserved on a lime-green ground between a band of upright lappets encircling the foot and a band of ruyi heads around the shoulder. The interior and the base surrounding the nianhao are covered in turquoise enamel.

Provenance: Acquired prior to 1973 and thence by descent to the present owner.

Note: The type of formal decoration seen on the present vase, that of a dense design of flower scroll executed in rich famille rose enamels
which are then enhanced on a bright monochrome ground, is found on other vases and jars of Jiaqing date. See a meiping of Jiaqing date in the Qing Court Collection illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - 39 - Porcelains with Cloisonne Enamel Decoration and Famille Rose Decoration, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 195, pl. 172, where the decoration of lotus scroll, like the subject vase, is on a lime-green ground, but also includes Buddhist emblems and shou characters. Also see a lime-green ground bottle vase with famille rose lotus scroll design incorporating butterflies and bats illustrated by G. Avitabile in From the Dragon’s Treasure, Chinese Porcelain from the 19th and 20th centuries in the Weishaupt Collection, London, 1987, p. 33, no. 23.