Lot 151. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' bowl for the Vietnamese market, reign of Tự Đức (1847-1883). Dia.: 19 cm - H.: 7,5 cm. Estimate €1,200-€1,800. Sold for €3,600. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 162. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' bowl for the Vietnamese market, Thường tâm lạc sự 賞心樂事 mark, 19th century. Dia.: 18 cm - H.: 7,5 cm. Estimate €2,000-€4,000. Sold for €9,000. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

 The inscription ‘先’ (ancestors) engraved in the centre. This is a dedication mark for the specific use of this porcelain on the owner’s family altar.

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 163. Two Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' plates for the Vietnamese market, Nhược thâm trân tàng 若深珍藏 mark, 19th century. Dia.: 16,5 cm (the largest). Estimate: € 1000 - € 2000. Sold for €1,200. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

The mark on the fighting scene dish reads Nhược thâm trân tàng 若深珍藏, which translates to: 'Precious collection of the seemingly old'.

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 164. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' bowl for the Vietnamese market, Nhược thâm trân tàng 若深珍藏 mark, 19th century. Dia.: 16 cm - H.: 8,5 cm. Estimate: € 800 - € 1200. Sold for €2,200. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

The mark reads 若深珍藏, which translates to: 'In the collection of Roushen', referring to a Chinese kiln for porcelains made for export (Đồ sứ ký kiểu) commissioned by the Vietnamese mandarins under the reign of king Tự Đức.

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 165. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' bowl for the Vietnamese market, Thường tâm lạc sự 賞心樂事 mark, ca. 1830. Dia.: 15,5 cm - H.: 7,5 cm. Estimate: € 1000 - € 2000. Sold for €950. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 166. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' bowl for the Vietnamese court in Huế, Thiệu Trị and Minh Mạng 紹治明命 mark, 19th century. Dia.: 12 cm - H.: 6 cm. Estimate: € 1500 - € 2500. Sold for €3,800. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

Provenance: - The collection of Dr. Claus Vollers, German ambassador in Vietnam 1981-84.
- The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin, acquired from the above.

Note: - This object is very unusual, rare and repeatedly discussed in Vietnamese art circles and publications. Never before has any porcelain object in Asian art history named two succeeding emperors combined in one base mark. The four-character mark is read from right to left. Crown prince/king Thiệu Trị (1841) ranges before his father's name Minh Mạng. Therefore the earliest dating for this bowl would be the time of Thiệu Trị 's regency. Perhaps commissioned to commemorate the transition of the emperors in 1841.
- Only two such bowls are recorded within Vietnam: One in the possession of Nguyen Xuan Hoa in Huế, another in the collection of Phạm Hy Tùng (HCM Saigon). See Cổ Vật Gốm Sứ Việt Nam Đặt Làm Tại Trung Hoa Nhà xuất bản:Văn Hóa Sài Gòn 2006, p. 318.

Lot 168. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' bowl for the Vietnamese market, Nhã Ngọc 雅玉 mark, 19th century. Dia.: 15,5 cm - H.: 7,5 cm. Estimate: € 1000 - € 2000. Sold for €1,000.  Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

The bowl features a Chinese poem by Zhang Ji (張繼):
姑蘇城外寒山寺
夜半鐘聲到客船

Which translates in Vietnamese to:
Cô Tô thành ngoại Hàn San tự
Dạ bán chung thanh đáo khách thuyền

Or in English to:
Hanshan Temple outside Gusu City
rings the midnight bell to a passenger ship

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 169. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' bowl for the Vietnamese market, Nhược thâm trân tàng 若深珍藏 mark, 19th century. Dia.: 16,5 cm - H.: 6 cm. Estimate: € 1000 - € 2000. Unsold. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

The mark Nhược thâm trân tàng 若深珍藏 can be translated as: 'Precious collection of the seemingly old'.

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 170. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Hue' bowl for the Vietnamese market, Thiệu Trị 紹治年製 mark, 19th century. Dia.: 15 cm - H.: 7,5 cm. Estimate: € 2000 - € 4000. Sold for €3,800. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

 Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 172. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' bowl for the Vietnamese market, Giáp Tí 甲子 mark, ca. 1804. Dia.: 13,7 cm - H.: 7 cm. Estimate: € 15 000 - € 25 000. Sold for €17,500. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

This bowl was not for trade, but is a historical commemorative souvenir bowl created during the most important mission to China on establishing the new Dynasty of Nguyen under first king Gia Long in 1804. Commissioned in a very small number during the two missions in that year with the function of personal souvenir token for the leader and members of the ambassade.

Provenance: - The collection of Dr. Claus Vollers, German ambassador in Vietnam, 1981-84.
- The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin, acquired from the above.

Reference: - Đồ sứ ký kiểu thời Nguyễn (Commissioned Patterned Porcelains In the Nguyễn Era), p. 117, where it is stated that only two of these specific dragon bowl seem to exist, of which only one is outside Vietnam (which is this bowl). (see image below)

- Only very few pieces with this year mark are recorded, for example: Đồ sứ ký kiểu đời Gia Long. Museum Huế (link) and one with Giáp Tý mark in the collection of Vương Hồng Sển (museum in Saigon) (link)
- Tự Vị tiếng nói miền Nam (Dictionary of the Southern Language) by Vương Hồng Sển, Nhà Xuất bản Trẻ (Youth Publishing House), Hochiminh City, 1998 pp: 411-412, where it is stated (translated):
Lê Quang Định (1760 - 1815), birth name Tri Chỉ, penname Tấn Trai, from Phú Vang province (Thừa Thiên), went to the South (of Vietnam, today HCM/ Saigon) to study with Võ Trường Toản, befriended with Ngô Thanh Tịnh and Trịnh Hoài Đức who all three were known as the Gia Định's Trio;
He followed Lord Nguyễn Ánh (by later dynastic name GIA LONG ) and achieved many feats, gained many positions and titles, leaded a delegation with participation of Lê Chánh Lộ , Lê Gia Cát to Qing-dynasty China. (Source according to Lê Thọ Xuân in the Year Book of the Association for Study Promotion in 1942).
Following this first official delegation to China (1803) was a second delegation soon after and lead by 'diplomatic' envoy Trịnh Hoài Đức in year Giáp Tý (1804). In return to these two diplomatic envoy delegations from Vietnam, the Guangxi's Surveillance Commissioner Tề Bố Sâm (齊 布 森), who carried out diplomatic duties for the Qing government under emperor Jiaqing (顒琰), bestowed the Vietnamese requested investiture for Lord Nguyễn Ánh by an official document (Sắc phong, chin.: 册封) which was accompanied by a present - a tea set with the mark Giáp Tý / Niên Chế.
- Interpretation by Mr. Ulbrich: The porcelain group of bowls and teasets with the base mark Giáp Tí 甲子 1804) were ordered to be manufactured by the Chinese mandarin Tề Bố Sâm, chin. 齐布森 , who was in charge of the foreign supervision and diplomatic exchanges with the southern border neighbours. The Vietnamese delegation mandarins had been sent to China and requested officially, to acknowledge the new Vietnamese leader-in-power, Nguyễn Phúc Ánh (阮福暎) , as new king of their country. Two delegations were sent from Vietnam, and the Chinese side finally came to the conclusion, to bestow the new Vietnamese ruler with the title of 'king of Vietnam', not with title 'emperor' - equal to the Chinese emperors title - as requested by the Vietnamese side. The porcelain selected or ordered by the Chinese side along with the installment document, is considered as a kind of present to the new vietnamese 'king'.
The date mark Giáp Tí 甲子 commemorates this political event - the founding year of the newly established Nguyen dynasty and the proclamation of its first ruler Nguyễn Ánh (阮映) , who took the dynastic name 'Gia Long' after proclamation and enthronement. The specific design ordered and manufactured by the Chinese side as a diplomatic gift for the Vietnamese, represents and expresses the diplomatic controversy of the new Vietnamese ruler's title 'emperor' or 'king': A dragon with four claws. 

Lot 173. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' dish for the Vietnamese market, Thành Hóa Niên Ché 成化年製 mark, ca. 1840. Dia.: 18 cm. Estimate: € 1000 - € 2000. Sold for €1,200. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 174. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' dish for the Vietnamese market, Phác mark, 19th century. Dia.: 16 cm. Estimate: € 400 - € 800. Sold for €1,100. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 184. Five Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' dishes for the Vietnamese market, 19th century. Dia.: 16 cm (the largest). Estimate: € 1000 - € 2000. Sold for €900. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

 Lot 185. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleude Huê' bowl from a royal mission for the Vietnamese market, Tân Sửu 辛丑 mark, dated 1841. Dia.: 15 cm - H.: 7,5 cm. Estimate: € 3000 - € 6000. Unsold. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

Provenance: - The collection of Dr. Claus Vollers, German Embassador in Vietnam, 1981-84.
- The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin, acquired from the above.

Note: Vietnamese courts sent envoys to China to enhances the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Besides the diplomatic missions, these envoys also went to ceramic kilns in China to commission high quality porcelain, bringing it back to Vietnam for the needs of the Vietnamese courts. The mandarins ordered the year marks on the base as a souvenir token of their once-in-a-life embassy on the occasion of the journey to the Chinese emperor.  The year dates are related to the year of embassy yourney. These year-marked pieces are historical documents and only a very small number are known to exist.

The Tân Sửu (辛丑) mark in 1841 is related to two embassies the same year - dispatched to the Chineses emperor for these reasons:

1. King Minh Mạng died 20 January 1841. Immediate delegation sent to the Chinese emperor to report the king's death and the introduction of his eldest son, who had been crown prince for 34 years, to become successor under the dynastic name Thiệu Trị (紹治). This first embassy delegation was led by embassador Lý Văn Phức (李文馥).

2. Second embassy sent out the same year from Hue to the Chinese emperor led by ambassador Hoàng Tế Mỹ. Subject to be negotiated was the country's name (Đại Nam).

Lot 186. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' bowl for the Vietnamese market, Minh Mang Nian Zhi 明命年製 mark, ca. 1830-40. Dia.: 14,5 cm - H.: 6 cm. Estimate: € 3000 - € 6000. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 187. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' bowl for the Vietnamese market, Gia Lạc 嘉樂 mark, ca. 1820-40. Dia.: 15 cm - H.: 6,7 cm. Estimate: € 2000 - € 4000. Sold for €3,200. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 188. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Hue' dish with phoenixes for Đặng Huy Trứ (1825 - 1874), Đặng Huy Trứ mark and inscription, dated 1868. Dia.: 13 cm. Estimate: € 4000 - € 8000. Sold for €7,500. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

Porcelain commissioned in Guangdong, China, with a pattern called 'phung mao tê my' (phoenix and poenies). 
The ring mark on the base reads: 嗣 德 戊 辰 中 秋 鄧 季 祠 堂 祭 器 鳳 毛 濟 美 (which translates in Vietnamese to) Tự Đức Mậu thìn trung thu Đặng quý từ đường tế khí phụng mao tế mỹ, (or in English) Altar object for the family shrine of Dang family; made in mid autumn of Wuchen year (= 1868) under Tu Duc reign, motif of the 'Beauty of the phoenix's feather.'

Provenance: - The collection of Dr. Claus Vollers, German ambassador in Vietnam 1981-84.
- The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin, acquired from the above.

Reference: - Only three other plates with this design are known. The first is in the Hue Antiquities Museum (a bit damaged) (see added image above). The second belongs to collector Trần Đình Sơn in Saigon, published in: Tan man Phu XUAN, by Tran Dinh Son & Hoang Anh, Nha Xuat Banh Tre 2001, page 98 (link). The third is published in CO VAT by Pham Hy Tung, Nha Xuat Ban Van Hoa Sai Gon 2006 , p. 320.

 Lot 189. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' dish for the Vietnamese market, Nhất mark, Minh Mạng, ca. 1820-40. Dia.: 14 cm. Estimate: € 2000 - € 4000. Sold for €2,000. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 190. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' dish for the Vietnamese market, Nội Phủ Thị Trung 內府侍中 mark, 19th century. Dia.: 13,5 cm. Estimate: € 1000 - € 2000. Sold for €2,600. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 192. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' bowl for the Vietnamese market, Minh Mạng Nian Zhi 明命年製 mark, ca. 1830-40. Dia.: 15 cm - H.: 7 cm. Estimate: € 2000 - € 4000. Sold for €2,000. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 193. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' spittoon for the Vietnamese king Khải Định, Nội phủ đãi tạo 內府待造 mark, ca. 1924. Dia.: 23,5 cm - H.: 20,5 cm. Estimate: € 3000 - € 6000. Sold for €15,500. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

An extremely rare spittoon, made on imperial order for the Vietnamese king Khai Dinh by 1924. This was the last such order commissioned in China by Nguyen kings.
He ordered these porcelains from China for decoration and rituals of his palaces. It is reported that these were to be used for the reception on the occasion of his 40th birthday.

The mark on the base reads: Nội phủ đãi tạo 内府待造, which translates to: Manufactured for reception in the Inner Palace.

The poem reads:

以文常會友
惟德自成鄰.
池照牕陰晚,
柸香藥未春.

Which translates in Vietnamese to:
Dĩ văn thường hội hữu
Duy đức tự thành lân
Trì chiếu song âm vãn
Bôi hương dược vị xuân.

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Reference: Đồ Sứ Ký Kiểu Thời Nguyễn (NXB Đại Học Quốc Gia 2008) - Trần Đức Anh Sơn, 300 Trang - page 105. (see added scan no. 9) In this book, it is mentioned that only two examples are known in private collections, one of which is the current example from Mr. Ulbrich.

Lot 194. A Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' dish for the Vietnamese market, Shu Dai Liu Xiang 書帶留香 mark, 19th century. Dia.: 15,5 cm. Estimate: € 800 - € 1200. Sold for €1,300. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

The design is known as 'Seven wild geese overlooking rocks and sea'.

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Lot 197. A rare small Chinese blue and white 'Bleu de Huê' bowl, Nhất mark, Thiệu Trị. Dia.: 10,5 cm - H.: 4,5 cm. Offered with a conservation box. Estimate: € 500 - € 1000. Sold for €1,800. Courtesy Rob Michiels Auctions

This bowl was made by order of the royal court and for palace use in Huê city. The base mark nhất 日, which translates to 'Sun' was exclusively used for the Vietnamese royals.
The word 日 is viewed as the royal insignia of the Nguyễn (阮) dynasty. The names of the Nguyễn kings all have the 日 root.  日 was, therefore, chosen to be the mark on royal utility porcelains of Nguyễn dynasty.

Provenance: - The collection of Thomas Ulbrich, Studio Tho, Hanoi-Berlin.

Rob Michiels Auctions, Asian Arts, Bruges, 22 February 2023