A Dehua reticulated brushpot (bitong), Late 17th - Early 18th century
A Dehua reticulated brushpot (bitong), Late 17th - Early 18th century. Estimate 16,000 — 18,000 USD. Photo Sotheby's.
of tall cylindrical form, the sides deftly pierced in two registers, the lower with a leafy, stylized peony meander, the upper with four shaped reserves each enclosing a single character, zhuang, yuan, ji, di, (may you be first in the Imperial examination) all against a wan pattern fretwork ground, between plain concave borders at the rim and base, glazed overall in a lustrous creamy-white glaze, fitted hard wood stand (2). Height 6 in., 15 cm
Provenance:A. Staal Antiquaire, Amsterdam (according to labels).
Sotheby's Mak Van Waay, Amsterdam 15th January 1974, lot 311.
E.G. Kostalany, London (by repute).
Fiorentini Collection, London (according to label).
Sotheby's. Inscriptions: History as Art New York, 17 mars 2015, 01:30 PM
A small inscribed Dehua jar, 17th century
A small inscribed Dehua jar, 17th century. Estimate 4,000 — 6,000 USD. Photo Sotheby's.
of ovoid form, tapering towards the base and rising to a short cylindrical neck, freely inscribed in caoshu with four characters, yue yuan feng qing (the moon is full, the breeze is cool), applied overall with a rich white glaze. Height 3 1/8 in., 8 cm
Provenance: Collection of Nancy and Peter Thompson (according to label).
Sotheby's. Inscriptions: History as Art New York, 17 mars 2015, 01:30 PM
A rare white 'Monk's Cap' ewer incised with Tibetan inscription, Ming dynasty, Yongle period
A rare white 'Monk's Cap' ewer incised with Tibetan inscription, Ming dynasty, Yongle period. Estimate 100,000 — 150,000 USD. Photo Sotheby's.
the globular body supported on a low splayed foot, with channeled spout flaring neck and stepped collar and a small loop inside for attachment to a cover, the curved strap handle with a ruyi-head tab, the tall neck, shoulder and area above the foot incised with lotus and lingzhi motifs, the center of the body incised with a long horizontal Tibetan inscription, the ewer is applied overall with a soft white glaze (tianbaiyou). Height 8 1/4 in., 21 cm
Notes: very similar ewer was in the Meiyintang collection, sold Sotheby's Hong Kong, 9th October 2012, lot 10.
English translation of the inscription:
May there be peace and tranquility by day;
May there be peace and tranquility by night;
May there be peace and tranquility by noon;
Unceasing peace and tranquility at all times, day and night;
May the ‘Three Jewels’ (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha) ensure peace and tranquility.
Sotheby's. Inscriptions: History as Art New York, 17 mars 2015, 01:30 PM
Preview of Hemmerle Jewels at TEFAF 2015
Hemmerle earrings – tourmalines, demantoid garnets, silver, white gold. Photo courtesy of Hemmerle
Hemmerle necklace – antique Javanese bronze, yellow-brown diamonds, brass, peridots. Photo courtesy of Hemmerle
Hemmerle earrings – cameos, tsavorite garnets, silver, white gold. Photo courtesy of Hemmerle
Hemmerle ring (firstly debuted at a Hemmerle private viewing in London) – scarab, bronze, white gold. Photo courtesy of Hemmerle
Hemmerle earrings – diamonds, blackened silver, white gold. Photo courtesy of Hemmerle
Hemmerle will be exhibiting at Stand Number 141 at TEFAF Maastricht from March 13-22, 2015, to book an appointment email info@hemmerle.com or call +49 89 24 22 600. www.hemmerle.com
A 'Qingbai' cup and stand, Song dynasty
A 'Qingbai' cup and stand, Song dynasty. Estimate 15,000 — 20,000 USD. Photo Sotheby's.
the thinly potted shallow cup rising from a short flared foot to an everted rim, the rounded sides divided into six petal lobes by notches around the rim, resting on a stand of saucer shape with a hexalobed rim and stepped pedestal in the center, all on a trefoil-pierced petal-shaped foot, both covered overall with a pale ice-blue translucent glaze (2). Height 3 3/8 in., 8.5 cm
Literature: Tan Dan Jiong. Zhongguo taoci shi [History of Chinese Ceramics], Volume Two, Taipei, 1985, p. 478.
Notes: Several related qingbai cups and stands have been published. See one in the Baur collection illustrated in John Ayers, Chinese Ceramics in the Baur Collection, vol. 1, Geneva, 1968, pl. A120; another from the Toguri Museum, Tokyo, illustrated in Chugoku toji meihin zuroku [Chinese Ceramics in the Toguri Collection], Tokyo, 1988, no. 50.
Compare also one in the Eugene Bernat collection, included in the exhibition Chinese Ceramics of the Sung Dynasty, Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, 1959, cat. no. 66, and illustrated in Sir Harry M. Garner and Margaret Medley, Chinese Art in Three-dimensional Colour, vol. III, London, 1969, p. 210, reel 29, no. 3 and sold in these rooms, 7th November 1980, lot 84; and another in the Muwen Tang collection, included in the exhibition Song Ceramics from the Kwan Collection, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1994, cat. no. 103, and subsequently sold in our London rooms, 12th November 2003, lot 52.
Sotheby's. Song Tradition: Early Ceramics from the Yang De Tang Collection. New York, 17 mars 2015, 11:00 AM
A rare 'Qingbai' box and cover, Song dynasty
A rare 'Qingbai' box and cover, Song dynasty. Estimate 20,000 — 30,000 USD. Photo Sotheby's.
of compressed globular form with lobed sides resembling the petals of a chrysanthemum flower, finely molded on the cover with a floral scroll, applied on the interior with three small barbed rim cups separated by three curved stems of lotus pods issuing from a central bud, applied overall with a transparent glaze pooling to a light turquoise blue in the recesses, the raised interior rim and base left unglazed revealing the smooth white body. Diameter 5 1/4 in., 13.3 cm
Literature: Tan Dan Jiong. Zhongguo taoci shi [History of Chinese Ceramics], Volume Two, Taipei, 1985, p. 477.
Notes: See a closely related box and cover also with three cups on the interior, of smaller size, unearthed at Guaxian, Shaowu City, and now in the Shaowu Museum, published in Zhongguo chutu ciqi quanji / Complete Collection of Ceramic Art Unearthed in China, Beijing, 2008, vol. 11, pl. 117. See also two related qingbai boxes with this form and with a plain interior, illustrated in Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Ceramics in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1964, nos. 552 and 554.
Sotheby's. Song Tradition: Early Ceramics from the Yang De Tang Collection. New York, 17 mars 2015, 11:00 AM
A rare 'Qingbai' vase (yuhuchunping), Yuan dynasty
A rare 'Qingbai' vase (yuhuchunping), Yuan dynasty. Estimate 20,000 — 30,000 USD. Photo Sotheby's.
the pear-shaped body rising to a slender neck and flared rim, applied with fine beaded decoration forming the outlines of four ruyi heads, with upright bands of lappets around the neck, each head enclosing a character and forming the phrase shou bi nan shan, fu ru dong hai (a wish for longevity as enduring as the mountains and fortune as vast as the sea), covered overall with a pale blue-green glaze suffused with crackles. Height 11 in., 28 cm
Exhibition: Zhongguo taoci jingpin zhan [The Exhibition of Chinese Ceramics of Eight Dynasties], National Museum of History, Taipei, 1987, p. 40.
Literature: Chugoku meito ten: Chugoku toji 2000-nen no seika [Exhibition of Chinese Pottery: Two Thousand Years of Chinese Ceramics], Tokyo, 1992, no. 60.
Notes: It is extremely rare to find a qingbai vase decorated and inscribed in this style. See a vase of closely related form and with the same inscription, excavated in 1963 from Wotuo Chi's tomb near the Longtan lake and now in the Capital Museum, Beijing, published in Selections from the Capital Museum Collection. Beijing, 1991, cat. no. 72.
Sotheby's. Song Tradition: Early Ceramics from the Yang De Tang Collection. New York, 17 mars 2015, 11:00 AM
A rare 'Qingbai' 'Medallion' vase, Southern Song dynasty
A rare 'Qingbai' 'Medallion' vase, Southern Song dynasty. Estimate 60,000 — 80,000 USD. Photo Sotheby's.
the high shouldered body surmounted by a low waisted neck with an everted mouthrim, decorated around the body with nine six-lobed medallions enclosing peony flower heads, separated by small foliate scrolls, covered overall with a pale blue glaze pooling darker in the recesses, the base unglazed. Height 9 5/8 in., 24.5 cm
Literature: Chugoku meito ten: Chugoku toji 2000-nen no seika [Exhibition of Chinese Pottery: Two Thousand Years of Chinese Ceramics], Tokyo, 1992, no. 50.
Notes: This elegant vase, finely carved and covered overall in a glossy glaze tinged with blue, exemplifies some of the best traits of the finest ceramics made at Jingdezhen during the Song dynasty. Produced at a number of kilns in the provinces of Jiangxi, Fujian and Anhui, qingbai ware, also known as yingqing, refers not to the geographic locations as was typical with other wares, but to its appearance. Qing (green) and bai (white) denote the alluring pale blue-green tones of the brilliant translucent glaze which so effectively complimented the white porcellaneous body beneath.
It is rare to find qingbai vases of this type with this decoration, and no other vase with this exact design appears to have been published. See, however, a related qingbai vase, carved with three six-lobed medallions, from the Gordon Collection sold at Christie's New York, 24th March 2011, lot 1119.
Sotheby's. Song Tradition: Early Ceramics from the Yang De Tang Collection. New York, 17 mars 2015, 11:00 AM
A rare 'Qingbai' carved ewer, Yuan dynasty
A rare 'Qingbai' carved ewer, Yuan dynasty. Estimate 20,000 — 30,000 USD. Photo Sotheby's.
the compressed globular body rising from a flat base to a short neck with lipped rim, set with a flat grooved handle and a loop on top, the curved spout applied with a stylized phoenix head, the body decorated with two bands of stylized ruyi cloud scrolls, covered overall with a light blue glaze pooling in the recesses, stopping neatly above the foot to reveal the pale white body. Height 3 3/8 in., 8.5 cm
Notes: It is rare to find a qingbai ewer of this form and decoration, and no other examples appear to have been published. Compare a related ewer with this molded ruyi cloud decoration published in Jingdezhen Wares: The Yuan Evolution, Hong Kong, 1984, no. 48, where Margaret Medley notes in her introductory essay (p. 25) that during the early Yuan years, compartmented decoration and rigid restriction to bands, such as the one seen on this present piece, became an increasingly popular stylistic feature.
See another ewer of related form also applied with a stylized phoenix head on the spout, excavated from the Jinyucun hoard in Suining City in 1991, published in Suining Jinyu Cun Nan Song jiao cang / Jinyucun Hoard of Southern Song Dynasty in Suining, Beijing, vol. 2, 2012, pl. 119; and another, attributed to the Southern Song dynasty, excavated in 1976 at Changyi, Xinjian county and now in the Jiangxi Museum, illustrated in Zhongguo chutu ciqi quanji / Complete Collection of Ceramic Art Unearthed in China, Beijing, 2008, vol. 14, pl. 78.
Sotheby's. Song Tradition: Early Ceramics from the Yang De Tang Collection. New York, 17 mars 2015, 11:00 AM
A small 'Qingbai' ewer and cover, Song dynasty
A small 'Qingbai' ewer and cover, Song dynasty. Estimate 20,000 — 30,000 USD. Photo Sotheby's.
the ewer of broad melon shape, rising from a slightly recessed base to a small cylindrical neck, set on one side with a curved spout and a flat handle on the other, the body with lobed sides and a raised scalloped band to resemble a ewer sitting in a warming basin, the neck with a row of lotus petals radiating from the base, the cover similarly molded with a mandarin duck finial, covered overall with a pale blue glaze pooling in the recessed areas, stopping just above the foot to reveal the white body (2). Height 4 1/2 in., 11.4 cm
Notes: See a related example, but with a different molded cover in the Muwen Tang collection and included in the exhibitionSong Ceramics from the Kwan Collection, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1994, cat. no. 108; and another from the Kai-Yin Lo Collection, included in the exhibition Bright as Silver, White as Snow, Hong Kong, 1998, cat. no. 52.
Sotheby's. Song Tradition: Early Ceramics from the Yang De Tang Collection. New York, 17 mars 2015, 11:00 AM
