Lot 801. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. A Ding persimon-glazed hexafoil bowl, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127); 20.1 cm diam., box. Price realised HKD 4,064,000 (Estimate HKD 1,200,000 – HKD 1,800,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Chang Foundation, Taipei, prior to 1990

Literature: Chang Foundation, Selected Chinese Ceramic from Han to Qing Dynasty, Taipei, 1990, pp. 94-95, no. 28

Chinese Treasures from the Chang Foundation, Japan, 2001, p. 34, no. 24

Exhibited: Tokyo, The Shoto Museum of Art, Chinese Treasures from the Chang Foundation, 29 May - 8 July 2001

Hokkaido, Hokkaido Obihiro Museum of Art, Chinese Treasures from the Chang Foundation, 13 July - 5 September 2001

Shimonoseki, Shimonoseki City Art Museum, Chinese Treasures from the Chang Foundation, 21 September - 21 October 2001

Note : Persimmon-glazed bowls were produced by many Chinese kilns in the Song and early Jin periods, including the Ding and Yaozhou kilns, and were particularly admired on forms associated with tea ceremony. The striking near-white body visible through the glaze at the rim and the foot is a distinctive feature of wares produced at the Ding kilns.

It is very rare to find a Ding bowl with foliated rim of such large size and exquisite glaze colour like the present lot. A similar Ding persimmon-glazed bowl with a petal-lobed rim is in the Freer Gallery of Art, illustrated by J. A. Pope, et. al., in The World’s Great Collections: Oriental Ceramics, vol. 9, Tokyo, 1972, no. 62. Another foliated rim dish of ogee-form is in the collection of Palace Museum, Beijing, collection no.: xin00140815. Other Ding persimmon-glazed bowls include a slightly smaller foliate bowl, illustrated by S. Kwan, Song Ceramics from the Kwan Collection, Hong Kong, 1994, pp. 82-83, no. 23, and in the Princeton Art Museum illustrated by Z. Kwok, The Eternal Feast: Banqueting in Chinese Art from the 10th to 14th Century, Princeton, 2019, p. 170, no. 41.

Compare further to a conical bowl, sold at Sotheby’s New York, 23 March 2011, lot 519; and another hexafoil bowl that is slightly smaller in size, previously in the J. J. Lally & Co. Collection, was sold at Christie’s New York, 23 March 2023, lot 865.

Lot 802. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. An important large carved Dind ‘dragon’ dish, Jin dynasty (1115-1234); 30.2 cm diam., box. Price realised HKD 4,064,000 (Estimate HKD 4,000,000 – HKD 6,000,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Bluett & Sons, London, February 1936, exhibition no. 30

Collection of Mr. and Mrs. R.H.R Palmer; sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 September 1992, lot 452

Literature: Christie's 20 Years in Hong Kong- Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Highlights, Hong Kong, 2006, p. 27

Note : A related Ding dish carved with a similar three-clawed dragon is in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, collection no. guci014467N, illustrated in the Special Exhibition of Dragon-Motif Porcelain in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1983, no. 6; also included in the Special Exhibition of Ting Ware White Porcelains, Taipei, 1987, pl. 79. Another related carved Ding 'dragon' dish of similar size is also in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, collection no. zhongci003788N, illustrated in Decorated Porcelains of Dingzhou: White Ding wares from the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2014, no. II-63, pp. 108-109.

Lot 803. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. A magnificent and extremly rare Cizhou sgraffito 'peony' jar, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127); 27.6 cm high, Japanese wood boxes. Price realised HKD 11,684,000 (Estimate HKD 5,500,000 – HKD 6,500,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Toguri Museum of Art Collection, Tokyo

Sold at Sotheby's London, 100 Selected Chinese and Korean Ceramics from The Toguri Collection, 9 June 2004, lot 62 (cover lot)

Literature: Hasebe Gakuji (ed.), Sekai Toji Zenshu (Ceramic Art of the World), vol. 12, Tokyo, 1977, p. 241, pl. 236

Toguri Museum of Art, Commemorative Exhibition for the Opening, Tokyo, 1987, p. 29, no. 14

Fujio Nakazawa, ‘Chinese Ceramics in the Toguri Museum of Art’, Orientations, April 1988, pp. 45-46, fig. 7

So Ji – Shinpin to Yobareta Yakimono (Song Ceramics), Tokyo, 1999, no. 94

Zaidan Hojin Toguri Bijutsukan zohin senshu: Seireki 2000 nen kinen zuroku (Selected Works from the Toguri Art Museum Foundation: Commemorative catalogue of the year 2000 AD), Tokyo, 2000, pl. 16

Osaka Municipal Art Museum, Tokubetsu Ten: Shiro to Kuro no Kyoen Chugoku Jishu-yo kei Toki no Sekai (Special Exhibition: Charm of Black & White Ware: Transition of Cizhou Type Wares), Osaka, 2002, no. 58

Exhibited: Tokyo, Tokyo National Museum, Exhibition of Far Eastern Ceramics, October-November 1970, cat. no. 48

Tokyo, Toguri Museum of Art, Commemorative Exhibition for the Opening, 1987, cat. no. 14

Tokyo, Tobu Museum of Art; Osaka, The Museum of Oriental Ceramics; and Hagi, Hagi Uragami Museum, So Ji – Shinpin to Yobareta Yakimono (Song Ceramics), 1999, cat. no. 94

Osaka, Osaka Municipal Art Museum, Tokubetsu Ten: Shiro to Kuro no Kyoen Chugoku Jishu-yo kei Toki no Sekai (Special Exhibition: Charm of Black & White Ware: Transition of Cizhou Type Wares), 1 Oct- 8 December 2002, cat. no. 58

Note : The very difficult two-slip sgraffito decoration technique used to produce the beautiful design on the present jar was developed at the Cizhou kilns in the Northern Song dynasty. It involved the application of a white slip to the unfired stoneware vessel, followed by a black slip. The outline of the decoration was then incised through the top black layer and the background area of the design was cut away to reveal the white slip beneath, a final thin colourless glaze was applied all over before the vessel firing.

This exacting and deliberate process demanded a highly skilled application, as the layers of slip were relatively soft, requiring artisans to precisely gauge the depth of incision to remove the dark upper layer without compromising the underlying white slip. This technique was characteristic of the finest wares produced at the renowned Guantai kilns, which were known not only for functional vessels but also for decorative pieces executed in two‑slip sgraffito, frequently adorned with peony motifs.

The present lot is extremely rare, and possibly unique, for its combination of sgraffito technique and the design of scattered peony sprays on a jar form. A related scattered peony motif is found on a Cizhou meiping in the collection of the Eisei Bunko Museum, Tokyo. For larger-scale sgraffito peony decoration on Cizhou meipings, one is in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, illustrated by S. G. Valenstein in A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1989, p. 93, pl. 88 (fig. 2). Several comparable examples have appeared at auctions; one was sold at Christie’s New York, The Classic Age of Chinese Ceramics- The Linyushanren Collection, Part III, 22 March 2018, lot 516; another one sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, The Legacy of Hirano Kotoken, 8 April 2023, lot 3511; and a most recent example was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, Masterpieces of Chinese Ceramics from the Ise Collection, 9 September 2025, lot 5008.

Lot 804. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. An important magnificent blue and white ‘Jinxiang ting’ narrative jar, Yuan dynasty (1279-1368): 27.4 cm high. Price realised HKD 174,900,000 (Estimate on request) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Sold at Sotheby's New York, 23 October 1976, lot 242

The British Rail Pension Fund collection

Sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, Important Chinese Porcelain, Enamels and Jade Carvings from the Works of Art Collection of The British Rail Pension Fund, 16 May 1989, lot 12

The Property of a Gentleman; sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 November 2005, lot 1403

Literature: Chugoku meito ten: Chugoku toji 2000-nen no seika (Exhibition of Chinese Pottery: Two Thousand Years of Chinese Ceramics), Tokyo, 1992, p. 75, no. 66

Sotheby's Hong Kong Twenty Years, Hong Kong, 1993, p. 55, no. 25

Sotheby's Thirty Years in Hong Kong, 2003, p. 193, no. 196

Christie's 20 Years in Hong Kong- Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Highlights, Hong Kong, 2006, p. 53

Exhibited: On loan at Dallas Museum of Art, Texas, 1985-1988

Chugoku meito ten: Chugoku toji 2000-nen no seika (Exhibition of Chinese Pottery: Two Thousand Years of Chinese Ceramics), Japan, 9 April- 23 November 1992, cat. no. 66

Lot 805. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. A highly important and rare copper red decorated ‘camellia, prunus and bamboo’ kendi, Hongwu period (1368-1398);13.5 cm high, box. Price realised HKD 12,065,000 (Estimate HKD 4,000,000 – HKD 6,500,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Masterpieces of East Asian Ceramic Art from A Private Collection; sold at Sotheby's London, 7 June 2000, lot 117

Literature: Tokyo National Museum, Chinese Arts of the Ming and Ch'ing Periods, Tokyo, 1963, p. 134 & 156, no. 294

Fujio Koyama (ed.), Sekai Toji Zenshu (Ceramic Arts of the World), vol. 14, Tokyo, 1976, p. 161, pl. 138

Exhibited: Tokyo, Tokyo National Museum, Chinese Arts of the Ming and Ch'ing Periods, 1963, cat. no. 294

Note : The finely potted compressed globular body is decorated with a continuous scene of flowering camellia growing from rocks, accompanied by blossoming prunus and bamboo, all between rows of lappets at the shoulder and the foot. The spout and neck are encircled by further decorative bands.

Although underglaze-red decoration was known in the Yuan and early Ming dynasties, its production never matched the scale of blue-and-white porcelain in subsequent centuries. This was largely due to technical difficulties with copper being volatile during firing, often producing unpredictable results ranging from rich red to brownish grey, and is prone to dissipation. Consequently, many of the finest examples of underglaze-red porcelain dating to the early Ming, particularly the Hongwu period. One of the most distinctive forms among Hongwu underglaze-red porcelains is the present kendi type with compressed globular body. The remarkably even, dusty pink tone achieved on the present lot is extremely rare and technically challenging.

A Hongwu copper-red kendi decorated with peony is in the Palace Museum, Beijing, collection no.: gu00145497. Further examples are in the Musée Guimet, Paris, Oriental Ceramics, the World's Great Collections, vol. 7, pl. 16; the Danish Museum of Decorative Arts, Copenhagen, illustrated by D. Lion-Goldschmidt in Ming Porcelain, no. 23; and two in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated by Ayers, Far Eastern Ceramics in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1980, pl. 42, and pl. 140. Compare also to a kendi that is decorated with the same composition, formerly in the Arthur M. Sackler collection, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 May 2008, lot 1566.

Lot 806. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. A blue and white 'Fruit' ewer, zhihu, Yongle period (1403-1425); 26 cm high, box. Price realised HKD 8,890,000 (Estimate HKD 2,500,000 – HKD 4,000,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Chang Foundation, Taipei, acquired before 1990

Literature: Chang Foundation, Selected Chinese Ceramic from Han to Qing Dynasty, Taipei, 1990, pp. 200-201, no. 81.

Note ::The pear-shaped body is superbly potted, with an elegantly curved spout joined to the neck by a cloud-shaped strut, and an elegantly curved handle on the opposite side. The slender neck is decorated with a band of upright plantain leaves above a lotus scroll. The body is painted on each side with a large quatrefoil cartouche, one enclosing a fruiting peach spray and the other a fruiting loquat spray, each flanked by flower sprays.

The form of the present ewer is believed to derive from the Middle Eastern metalwork prototype, as exemplified by a Byzantine gilt-metal ewer in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (accession no.: 17.190.1704). Although the Byzantine example lacks a spout, the shared shape and function suggest a clear lineage.

Ewers of this form from the Yongle period are known with a variety of decorative schemes. A Yongle ewer with peach design is illustrated in Imperial Hongwu and Yongle porcelain excavated at Jingdezhen, Taipei, 1996, no. 58. An almost identical Yongle ewer with fruiting sprays is in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red, Hong Kong, 2000, p. 43, no. 41 The National Museum of China also holds a Yongle blue and white ewer with nearly identical design, illustrated in Studies on the Collection of the National Museum of China- Ming, Shanghai, 2007, p. 38, no. 13 (fig. 2). This iconic floral and fruiting pattern proved so enduring that it was copied in subsequent reigns, and notably, the design of fruit enclosed within panels appears to be the only design from this repertoire that Qing dynasty potters chose to replicate. A Xuande example painted with the same decoration is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, collection no.: gu00143613.

Compare further to Yongle ewers decorated with peony scrolls, one formerly in the Manno Art Museum, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 November 2018, lot 2905 (fig. 3); and another formerly in the Okada Museum of Art, sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 22 November 2025, lot 1025.

Lot 807. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. A fine and rare large blue and white ‘Three friends of winter’ bowl, Xuande six-charater mark in underglaze blue in a line and of the period (1426-1435); 28 cm diam., Japanese wood box. Price realised HKD 14,530,000 (Estimate HKD 4,000,000 – HKD 6,000,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026 

Provenance: Sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 13 November 1990, lot 130

The Property of a Gentleman; sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 26 April 2004, lot 955

Literature: Sotheby's Hong Kong Twenty Years, Hong Kong, 1993, p. 96, no. 84

Sotheby's Thirty Years in Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2003, p. 221, no. 229

Christie's 20 Years in Hong Kong- Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Highlights, Hong Kong, 2006, p. 81

Note: In traditional Chinese culture, pine, bamboo, and prunus are celebrated as the 'Three Friends of Winter', embodying the resilience and noble virtues of scholars and literati who flourish despite adversity. As such, these three motifs have long been favoured in scholarly circles and widely employed across various artistic mediums.

The function of these thickly potted shallow bowls- an innovation of the Xuande period- is discussed in Chinese Porcelain: The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection, pt. II, p. 53. They have been variously identified as scholars' brush washers, as vessels for playing dice at court, or as containers for cricket fights- a popular Ming dynasty pastime for which, it has been suggested, 'the extreme thickness of the bowls would render them an ideal battlefield'.

Xuande bowls of this form decorated with the 'Three Friends of Winter' are rare. A small number of related examples are preserved in prestigious institutions worldwide, each varying slightly in shape and size. A nearly identical Xuande bowl in the Percival David Foundation, British Museum, is illustrated by R. Scott, Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art: A guide to the Collection, London, 1989, p. 74, no. 62. A slightly larger example in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, collection no. zongci003904N, illustrated in Blue and White Ware of the Ming Dynasty, Part II, Taipei, 1963, pl. 42. Further examples include one in the Cleveland Museum of Art, collection no.: 1953.631; one in the Shanghai Museum, included in Underglaze Blue and Red, Hong Kong, 1987, no. 53; a smaller example in the Percival David Foundation, British Museum, is illustrated by M. Medley, Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, vol.7, Tokyo, 1975, pl.46; and one at the Palace Museum, Beijing, collection no.: xin00124553.

For further comparison, see a related Xuande bowl decorated with fruiting branches, sold at Sotheby’s London, 26 November 2024, lot 3848. A Xuande-marked bowl of similar shape from the Tianminlou Collection, decorated with a garden scene, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 30 November 2023, lot 2704. Another example, decorated with an immortal and bearing the mark on the base, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 November 2024, lot 1394.

Lot 808. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. An important and exceptionally rare Ming yellow-ground blue and white ‘pomegranate’ dish, Chenghua six-charater mark in underglaze blue in a line and of the period (1465-1487); 29.5 cm diam., box. Price realised HKD 15,140,000 (Estimate HKD 4,500,000 – HKD 6,500,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Mrs. Otto Harriman (1903-1970) collection

Offered at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 31 October 1974, lot 104

Collection of Edward T. Chow (1910-1980)

Sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, The Edward T. Chow Collection- Part One: Ming and Qing Porcelain, 25 November 1980, lot 40

Collection of T.Y. Chao (1912-1999)

Sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, The T.Y. Chao Private and Family Trust Collections of Important Chinese Ceramics & Jade Carvings: Part II, 19 May 1987, lot 256

Chang Foundation, Taipei, acquired before 1990.

Literature: Soame Jenyns, Ming Pottery and Porcelain, London, 1953, pl. 59A (left)

J.P. Dubosc, Mostra d’Arte Cinese: Settimo Centenario di Marco Polo (Exhibition of Chinese Art: The Seventh Centenary of Marco Polo), Venice, 1954, p. 187, no. 688

The Arts Council of Great Britain and The Oriental Ceramic Society, The Arts of the Ming Dynasty, London, 1958, no. 197

Regina Krahl and John Ayers, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, vol. II, London, 1986, p. 531

Chang Foundation, Chang Foundation Inaugural Catalogue, Taipei, 1990, p. 46

Chang Foundation, Selected Chinese Ceramics from Han to Qing Dynasties, Taipei, 1990, pp. 224-225, no. 93

Sotheby's Hong Kong Twenty Years, Hong Kong, 1993, p. 145, no. 159

Chang Foundation, Treasures from the Chang Foundation, Taipei, 1996, p. 14, no. 20

Sotheby's Thirty Years in Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2003, p. 242, no. 262.

Exhibited: Venice, Mostra d’Arte Cinese: Settimo Centenario di Marco Polo (Exhibition of Chinese Art: The Seventh Centenary of Marco Polo), 1954, cat. no. 688

London, The Arts Council Gallery, The Arts of the Ming Dynasty, 15 November- 14 December 1957, cat. no. 197

Beijing, National Museum of Chinese History, Treasures from the Chang Foundation, 5 May- 5 July 1996, cat. no. 20.

Note : The dish is finely painted in underglaze blue in the centre with a leafy pomegranate branch, the cavetto with evenly spaced fruiting sprays of peach, pomegranate, apricot and lychee, the underside with four lotus sprays, all reserved against a rich yellow ground.

Dishes of this design were first produced during the Xuande period and reached the peak of their popularity in the Hongzhi period. A Xuande prototype is illustrated in Xuande Imperial Porcelain Excavated at Jingdezhen, Taipei, 1998, p. 89, no. 88.

Chenghua dishes of this design are particularly rare, the present dish may be the only known example bearing a Chenghua mark in auction. Most related examples are preserved in major museum collections- one is in the British Museum, illustrated by Jessica Harrison-Hall in Ming Ceramics in the British Museum, London, 2001, p. 170, no. 6:16; another is in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (II), Hong Kong, 2000, p. 254, no. 229 (fig. 1); a further one is in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in Catalogue of the Special Exhibition of Ch’eng-Hua Porcelain Ware, Taipei, 2003, pp. 104-105, nos. 86 and 87 (fig. 2). Compare also to a Chenghua blue and white ‘pomegranate’ dish, in the Shanghai museum and recorded in Mingdai Guanyao Ciqi, Shanghai, 2007, p. 140, pl. 3-64.

Lot 809. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. A very rare blue and white ‘dragon’ wine ewer and cover, Zhengde four-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle and of the period (1506-1521); 15.7 cm.) high, box. Price realised HKD 12,700,000 (Estimate HKD 2,000,000 – HKD 4,000,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Chang Foundation, Taipei, acquired before 1990.

Literature: Ryoichi Fujioka and Gakuji Hasebe, Sekai Toji Zenshu (Ceramic Art of the World), vol. 14, Japan, 1976, p. 64, pl. 65

Chang Foundation, Selected Chinese Ceramics from Han to Qing Dynasties, Taipei, 1990, pp. 230-231, no. 96

Chang Foundation, Chang Foundation Inaugural Catalogue, Taipei, 1990, p. 47

Chang Foundation, Treasures from the Chang Foundation, Taipei, 1996, p. 15, no. 22

Exhibited: Beijing, National Museum of Chinese History, Treasures from the Chang Foundation, 5 May- 5 July 1996, cat. no. 22.

Note : The form of the present ewer follows the iconic ewer prototype established in the Yongle reign. The spout and handle are decorated with leafy scrolls, and the body with two five-clawed dragons in flight amidst lotus scrolls above a band of ruyi-cloud heads encircling the foot.

The Zhengde reign marks a transitional period in Ming dynasty porcelain production, bridging the refined style of Chenghua and the more robust aesthetic of Jiajing. The present lot, however, is distinguished by its delicately potted body, vibrant blue pigment, and fine brushwork, making it a more refined example of Zhengde imperial ware. The design of dragons amid floral scrolls first appeared on early Ming imperial porcelain and reached prominence during the Zhengde reign. It conveys auspicious wishes for enduring imperial rule and unbroken succession, a motif of such enduring appeal that it continued to be prized at court into the Qing dynasty.

Among Zhengde blue and white wares, ewers are exceptionally rare; the present example may well be the only complete vessel of its kind recorded. Dragons amid floral scrolls can be more commonly found on dishes and bowls; compare to a blue and white dish and a bowl, formerly in the collection of R.F.A Riesco, both sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 27 November 2013, lot 3116 and 3117 respectively. A smaller example is a blue and white zhadou bearing the same Zhengde mark, decorated with six dragons amidst floral scrolls, preserved in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, collection no. zhongci 004978N.

Lot 810. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. A rare yellow-ground underglaze-blue and iron-red-decorated 'peony' double-gourd vase, Jiajing six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle and of the period (1522-1566); 21.5 cm high, boxes. Price realised HKD 2,032,000 (Estimate HKD 1,000,000 – HKD 1,500,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Sold at Sotheby's London, 1-2 April 1974, lot 224

Sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 28-29 November 1978, lot 102

Toguri Museum of Art Collection, Tokyo

Sold at Sotheby's London, 100 Selected Chinese and Korean Ceramics from the Toguri Collection, 9 June 2004, lot 37

Literature: The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Exhibition of Ancient Chinese Ceramics from the Collection of the Kau Chi Society of Chinese Art in Association with the Art Gallery, Hong Kong, 1981, no. 100

Toguri Museum of Art, Commemorative Exhibition for the Opening, Tokyo, 1987, p. 39, no. 23

Fujio Nakazawa, ‘Chinese Ceramics in the Toguri Museum of Art’, Orientations, April 1988, p. 50, fig. 13

Zaidan Hojin Toguri Bijutsukan zohin senshu: Seireki 2000 nen kinen zuroku (Selected Works from the Toguri Art Museum Foundation: Commemorative catalogue of the year 2000 AD), Tokyo, 2000, pl. 31

Exhibited: Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Exhibition of Ancient Chinese Ceramics from the Collection of the Kau Chi Society of Chinese Art in Association with the Art Gallery, 19 December 1981- 18 February 1982, cat. no. 100

Tokyo, Toguri Museum of Art, Commemorative Exhibition for the Opening, 1987, cat. no. 23.

Note : According to Daoist, double gourds have served as vessels for concocting and storing elixirs of immortality. During the Jiajing reign, the imperial kilns produced vases of such shape in great quantity, directly reflecting the emperor's profound Daoist faith and personal pursuit of eternal life. Most Jiajing examples are decorated in underglaze blue, the present lot is exceptionally rare with additional yellow and iron-red enamel. Its complexity of manufacture likely accounts for its rarity: the underglaze-blue floral scrolls were first fired at a high temperature, after which the yellow was applied and fired at a lower temperature, followed by the iron-red details of the peonies in a third firing. This process not only demonstrates technical virtuosity but also resonates with Daoist cosmological principles aligning colour with the five elements.

Comparable examples include two vases in the British Museum, illustrated in Harrison-Hall, Ming Ceramics, 2001, pls. 9:88 and 9:89. A nearly identical vase, formerly in the Ataka Collection, is in the Osaka Museum of Oriental Ceramics, accession no. 805. Another related example from the Ise Collection was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 9 September 2025, lot 5054.

Lot 811. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. A wucai 'dragon and phoenix' vase, Fanghu, Wanli six-character mark in underglaze blue in a line and of the period (1573-1620); 50.5 cm high, box. Price realised HKD 1,016,000 (Estimate HKD 240,000 -HKD 280,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Acquired in Asia in 2003

Note : During the Wanli reign, wucai gu-form vases were considerably popular. The motif of dragons and phoenixes amidst intertwined floral scrolls indicates the wish for prosperity, wealth and honour, further conveying hopes for peace and enduring blessings. The present vase is further distinguished by a band of recessed decoration right above the foot, an exceptionally rare feature on vessels of this type and a testament to its refined craftsmanship.

For comparable examples, see a vase of similar size and decoration in the British Museum collection, illustrated by Jessica Harrison-Hall in Ming Ceramics in the British Museum, London, 2001, p. 340, pl. II:168; another is in the Hakutsuru Museum, Kobe, published in Hakutsuru bijutsukan zohin zuroku (Collection in the Hakutsuru Fine Art Museum), Kyoto, 1988, pl. 129. Compare also to a wucai vase sold at Christie's London, 14 December 1983, lot 479; and a slightly larger example formerly in the Okada Museum of Art collection, Japan, later sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 22 November 2025, lot 1110.

Lot 812. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. A fine coral-ground famille verte 'floral' bowl, Kangxi four-character yuzhi mark in underglaze blue within a double square and of the period (1662-1722); 10.8 cm diam., box. Price realised HKD 5,334,000 (Estimate HKD 1,800,000 – HKD 2,500,000)  © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance : Sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 17 May 1989, lot 156

Note: The current bowl is a very fine example of a well-known group of bowls decorated with colourful flowers on a coral-ground made in the Kangxi reign. The unusual yuzhi mark led some scholars to believe this group was made to imitate the enamelled porcelain falangcai. Bowls of this type continued to be manufactured in Yongzheng, Qianlong, and Daoguang periods.

A Kangxi-marked bowl of this design in the Shanghai Museum is illustrated in Kangxi Porcelain Wares from the Shanghai Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1998, pp. 140-141, no. 95, and another in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Qing Porcelain of Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong Periods from the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989, p. 104, pl. 87. The National Palace Museum, Taipei, also houses several examples of this type; see collection no.: guci011368N.

For other Kangxi yuzhi mark bowls of this design sold at auctions, see a pair from the Meiyintang Collection, sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 April 2011, lot 4; another pair from the collection of Dr. Alice Cheng, sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 9 October 2012, lot 122; a single bowl sold at Sotheby's London, 15 May 2013, lot 167; and another single bowl sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 1 June 2016, lot 3237.

Lot 813. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. A fine and rare moulded peachbloom-glazed ‘chrysanthemum’ vase, Kangxi six-character mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1662-1722); 21.2 cm high, box. Price realised HKD 17,580,000 (Estimate HKD 4,500,000 – HKD 6,500,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Tai Sing Fine Antiques Ltd., acquired in the late 1980s
Chang Foundation, Taipei, acquired before 1990

Literature: Chang Foundation, Selected Chinese Ceramics from Han to Qing Dynasties, Taipei, 1990, pp. 268-269, no. 115
Chang Foundation, Chang Foundation Inaugural Catalogue, Taipei, 1990, p. 52
Chang Foundation, Treasures from the Chang Foundation, Taipei, 1996, p. 21, no. 33

Exhibited: Beijing, National Museum of Chinese History, Treasures from the Chang Foundation, 5 May- 5 July 1996, cat. no. 33

Note: The present vase is distinguished by its harmonious form, with a flared trumpet mouth and a band of chrysanthemum petals encircling the base, covered in a copper glaze known as ‘peachbloom’, also known by a variety of names in Chinese, including pingguo hong (apple red), jiangdou hong (bean red), and meiren zui (drunken beauty).

A technical achievement of the Kangxi reign, the peachbloom glaze is celebrated for its aesthetic subtlety and complexity of its production. Both the characteristic soft pinkish-red of the glaze, and the areas of clear green that appear predominantly below the mouth rim on the current vase, are both derived from copper. Firing in a reducing atmosphere creates the red colour, while re-oxidation creates the green. This glaze had to be applied very precisely and fired with great care. Research suggests that a copper-lime pigment was applied between two layers of colourless glaze. The copper-lime pigment was applied by blowing through a bamboo tube with fine silk gauze over the end, to achieve an effect similar to modern spraying techniques. This allowed the thickness of the copper-lime layer to be adjusted so that some areas would be thicker than others. In those thicker areas there was additional flux, which thinned the upper glaze layer and allowed the copper to re-oxidise and produce clear green. In contrast, areas with a thinner application saw much of the copper dissolve into the glaze, producing a rich, translucent pinkish-red, while any undissolved pigment particles contributed a slight opacity and a smooth surface texture. This intricate process resulted in one of the most highly esteemed glazes of the Qing imperial kilns.

Owing to its technical demands and the time required for production, peachbloom glaze was reserved for a limited number of small vessel forms, all intended for use on a scholar’s table. These have traditionally been known as the ba da ma (Eight Great Numbers), comprising four elegant vase forms- the liuye zun (willow-leaf vase), the panlong zun (coiled dragon vase), the laifu zun (see an example that is formerly in the Au Bak Ling collection, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 30 October 2025, lot 926, and the present juban ping- together with three water pots and a seal-paste box. However, there are in fact four water pot forms, bringing the total to nine, rather than eight. This numerical distinction may be significant, for while eight was traditionally regarded as a lucky number, nine is the imperial number. This has led some scholars to suggest that these peachbloom vessels were specifically commissioned by the Kangxi Emperor as gifts for favoured members of the court.

The chrysanthemums motif decorating the present vase has been greatly admired, especially by Chinese scholars, for centuries. Valued for its use in wine, tea, and medicine, and with dried petals placed in pillows for their fragrance and cooling properties, the chrysanthemum’s association with men of strength, integrity and nobility makes it an eminently suitable decoration for objects destined for the scholar’s desk.

Comparable examples can be found in several major museum collections. These include one in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Catalogue of a Special Exhibition of Ch’ing-Dynasty Monochrome Porcelains in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1981, p. 39, no. 2; another in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Monochrome Porcelain, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, vol. 37, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 21, no. 18; and a further example in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Kangxi Porcelain Wares from the Shanghai Museum Collection, Shanghai and Hong Kong, 1998, pp. 316-7, no. 204. Another similar vase formerly in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, was later sold at Christie’s New York, 15 September 2016, lot 913. Compare further to another example, previously in the collection of Alan Chuang, sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2023, lot 55.

Lot 814. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. A fine red-glazed vase, yuhuchunping, Yongzheng six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle and of the period (1723-1735); 23.5 cm high, box. Price realised HKD 5,080,000 (Estimate HKD 500,000 – HKD 800,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Robert Chang (1927-2024) Collection
Sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, Important Chinese Ceramics from the Robert Chang Collection, 31 October 2000, lot 824

Literature: Christie's, An Exhibition of Important Chinese Ceramics from the Robert Chang Collection, Hong Kong, 1993, pp. 88-89, no. 38
Christie's 20 Years in Hong Kong- Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Highlights, Hong Kong, 2006, p. 154

Exhibited: London, Christie's, An Exhibition of Important Chinese Ceramics from the Robert Chang Collection, 2-14 June 1993, cat. no. 38.

Note: The present elegantly proportioned pear-shaped vase rises from a gently splayed foot to a slender neck and flared mouth. Its exterior is covered in a rich, lustrous red glaze of deep tone, which subtly darkens both below the mouth rim and just above the foot.

Yongzheng-marked yuhuchunping of this type can be found in both public museum collections and private hands. For comparison, see one in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong- Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989, p. 287, no. 116. The National Palace Museum, Taipei, also holds several examples of this type in its collection, all slightly larger in size than the present lot; for one such example, see collection no.: zhongci002599N. One from the T. Y. Chao collection, included in the Ch’ing Porcelain from the Wah Kwong Collection, Hong Kong, 1973, pl. 5. A further example in the Tsui Museum of Art, illustrated in Chinese Ceramics IV Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 24.

Lot 815. The Ai Lian Tang Collection. A fine and superb flambé-glazed ewer, Yongzheng four-character incised seal mark and of the period (1723-1735); 31.2 cm high, box. Price realised HKD 15,140,000 (Estimate HKD 2,600,000 – HKD 4,000,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 21 May 1979, lot 101
Chang Foundation, Taipei, acquired before 1990

Literature: Chang Foundation, Selected Chinese Ceramic from Han to Qing Dynasties, Taipei, 1990, pp. 294-295, no. 128
Sotheby's Hong Kong Twenty Years, Hong Kong, 1993, p. 240, no. 360
Chang Foundation, Treasures from the Chang Foundation, Taipei, 1996, p. 31, no. 47

Exhibited: Beijing, National Museum of Chinese History, Treasures from the Chang Foundation, 5 May- 5 July 1996, cat. no. 47.

Note: The present ewer features a flared mouth with a short spout, a long slender neck with a raised ring, and a rounded body moulded with chrysanthemum petals at both upper and lower halves. The neck and shoulder are connected with a curved handle, and the ewer is covered overall in a flambé glaze of lustrous purplish-red colour.

This vessel form, known as a huajiao (flower waterer), was designed for watering plants and derived from metalwork prototypes of the Middle East. Porcelain examples can be traced to the early Ming dynasty's Yongle and Xuande periods, both with and without handles, and mostly decorated with waves, scrolling flowers, and lotus petals as main motif. During the Qing dynasty, it was rare to find forms derived from such foreign prototypes. Yongzheng ewers also exist both with handles and without, and most commonly seen in blue and white porcelains. A closely related Yongzheng blue and white chrysanthemum ewer with a handle is in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, collection no.: guci008222N; another Yongzheng blue and white example without a handle is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, collection no.: gu001495 (fig. 2). Vessels of this form are also known with other monochrome glazes, see a celadon-glazed Yongzheng ewer of same vessel shape moulded with same decoration, in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, collection no.: zhongci000227N.

Aside from the present ewer, only a very small number of vessels of identical form covered with flambé glaze and impressed with a four-character Yongzheng mark, appear to be known. For a related ewer with flambé glaze colour as brilliant as fire, is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Gugong bowuguan cang Qingdai yuyao ciqi [Porcelains from the Qing dynasty imperial kilns in the Palace Museum Collection], vol. 1, part II, Beijing, 2005, pp. 314-315, pl. 143.

Lot 816. A magnificent fine famille rose ‘peach’ bowl, Yongzheng six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle and of the period (1723-1735); 14 cm diam., box. Price realised HKD 32,220,000 (Estimate HKD 15,000,000 – HKD 20,000,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: J.D. Chen (Chen Rentao) collection, Hong Kong
Paul (1902-1998) and Helen Bernat (1908-1993) collection
Sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, The Paul and Helen Bernat Collection of Important Qing Imperial Porcelain and Works of Art, 15 November 1988, lot 44 (one of a pair)
Sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, Highly Important Ming and Qing Imperial Porcelain from a Private Collection, 29 April 1997, lot 401 (one of a pair)
Sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 29 May 2007, lot 1374 (one of a pair)

Literature: Sotheby's Hong Kong Twenty Years, Hong Kong, 1993, p. 202, no. 275
Sotheby's Thirty Years in Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2003, p. 290, no. 326.

Note: The painting on the present bowl demonstrates a masterful command of colour contrast and textural variation, achieved through sophisticated technical execution. The peaches, depicted as fully ripened and heavy on the branch, exhibit a remarkably lifelike plumpness. This effect was achieved by blowing enamels onto the glazed surface, combined with delicate brushwork that creates subtle shading from pale green to rose pink for the skin. For peaches depicted with a similarly subtle gradation of colour, compare a Yongzheng famille rose vase decorated with eight peaches in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, collection no.: xin00046104. The blossoms, painted with extreme delicacy, convey a sense of fragile beauty and provide a counterpoint to the solidity of the fruit, particularly as they appear to flutter in an implied breeze. The bats are rendered with dynamic energy, captured mid-flight in playful interaction.

The composition of six peaches and five bats is carefully arranged from the foot up the sides and extends over the rim into the interior of the bowl. This ambitious design, in which a flowering branch appears to continue from the exterior of a vessel into its interior, is known as guozhihua (flowering branch passing over the rim) or guoqiangzhi (branch passing over the wall). First emerging in the late Ming dynasty, this decorative scheme gained prominence during the Qing and appears to have found particular favour at court. The Yongzheng reign saw the apogee of guozhihua decoration on enamelled porcelains, both in terms of painterly excellence and imperial appreciation. Owing to the complexity of the scheme, guozhihua was more commonly employed on dishes, where the broader, more accessible surfaces facilitated execution. For a Yongzheng dish decorated with similar guozhihua design of peaches and bats, see an example in the Palace Museum collection, Beijing, collection no.: gu00150245. Bowls, particularly those of small size, presented considerably greater difficulty due to their restricted and curved working spaces, demanding artists of exceptional skill. The painter of the present bowl undertook the additional challenge of rendering a further pair of fully developed peaches on the interior. Given the variety of techniques employed and the complexity of the design, the successful execution of such a refined composition within the confined space of this relatively small and delicate bowl is remarkable.

Numerous aspects of the design on the current bowl carry auspicious significance, suggesting the bowl may have been created to celebrate an imperial birthday. The term guoqiangzhi (branch passing over the wall) is a homophone for guo chang zhi (long peace under good government), offering both a compliment to the emperor and a wish for a protracted reign. The peach tree has long been regarded as sacred in China; peach wood was used to craft apotropaic charms. The peach itself symbolises longevity. The presence of six peaches (liu) forms a rebus for retaining or prolonging longevity. Peaches are also closely associated with the Daoist star god of longevity, Shou Lao, and with the legendary peaches of immortality in the orchard of Xiwangmu, Queen Mother of the West. Peach blossoms, in turn, symbolize spring and renewal. The five red bats constitute one of the most pervasive themes in Chinese decorative arts. The red bat (hong fu) provides a rebus for good fortune, while five bats represent the Five Blessings (wu fu): longevity, health, wealth, love of virtue, and a peaceful death. Bats rendered upside down offer an additional rebus: the word for upside down (dao) is a homophone for "arrived," thus conveying the message that "happiness has arrived." The present bowl, with its exceptional quality and layered auspicious imagery, would have been ideally suited as a birthday commission for the Yongzheng emperor, whose reign is widely regarded as having produced some of the finest enamelled porcelains in China's long ceramic history.

This bowl originally formed a pair from the collection of J.D. Chen (Chen Rentao) of Hong Kong, and later entered the collection of Paul (1902-1998) and Helen Bernat (1908-1993). Its counterpart remains in a private collection. A pair of similarly sized Yongzheng bowls with a design of peaches and bats are in the Baur Collection, illustrated by J. Ayers in Chinese Ceramics in the Baur Collection, vol. 2, Geneva, 2000, pp. 108-9, no. 224 (A594).

Another Yongzheng bowl of the same size and decorated as the current bowl is in the collection of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and is illustrated by Terese Tse Bartholomew in Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art, San Francisco, 2006, p. 204, no. 7.44.1. A further pair of bowls is published in The Tsui Museum of Art, Chinese Ceramics IV, Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1995, no. 155, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 26 April 1999, lot 53, and subsequently at Sotheby's London, 16 May 2007, lot 104, and Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 6 April 2015, lot 112. A similar bowl was in the Eisei Bunko collection and then the Meiyintang collection, illustrated by R. Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. II, London, 1994, pl. 960; later sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 5 October 2011, lot 16. Lastly, a Yongzheng bowl of the same size, formerly in the collections of Edward Chow and then Alan Chuang, has a similar design yet with no peaches on the interior, only blossoming branches and bats, was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 9 October 2020, lot 3622.

Lot 817. A fine and rare aubergine-glazed archaistic ritual vessel, jue, Qianlong four-character incised seal mark and of the period (1736-1795); 12 cm wide, boxes. Price realised HKD 1,079,500 (Estimate HKD 300,000 – HKD 500,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Robert Chang (1927-2024) Collection
Sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, Imperial Wares from the Robert Chang Collection, 2 November 1999, lot 507

Literature: Christie's, An Exhibition of Important Chinese Ceramics from the Robert Chang Collection, Hong Kong, 1993, pp. 112-113, no. 50

Exhibited: London, Christie's, 6, 2-14 June 1993, cat. no. 50

Note: The vessel is delicately potted in the shape of an archaic bronze jue, with two short posts at the rims and a C-shaped handle to one side, all covered in a rich lustrous aubergine glaze.

A related Qianlong aubergine-glazed jue is in the Baur Collection, illustrated in J. Ayers, The Baur Collection, vol. II, Geneva, 1972, no. A473; another is illustrated in Mayuyama, 70 years, vol. 1, Tokyo, 1976, no. 1079. Compare further to another one, from the Jingguantang Collection, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 3 November 1996, lot 563.

Lot 818. A fine and exceptionally rare blue and white ‘Nine dragon’ vase, Qianlong six-character seal mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1736-1795); 35.7 cm high, box. Price realised HKD 8,890,000 (Estimate HKD 5,000,000 – HKD 6,500,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: The Property of an English Collector; sold at Christie’s London, 11 July 2006, lot 142.

Note: The present vase is exceptionally rare, with the only other published example of identical size, shape, and design preserved in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, collection no.: zongxi000434N, and illustrated in Porcelain of the National Palace Museum: Blue-and-White Ware of the Ch'ing Dynasty, vol. 2, Hong Kong, 1968, pp. 40-41, pl. 10. A close comparison of every detail suggests the two were possibly originally a pair. Beyond their immediately apparent similarity, they share specific features, including an unusual band of uneven blue wash at the neck-shoulder junction and a sketchily drawn line around the foot. Furthermore, the masterful rendition of lively dragons amidst intricate lingzhi scrolls on both vases appears to be by the same hand. The vase's exceptional quality in its refined potting, masterful painting, and use of the finest cobalt blue- coupled with the incorporation of the sacred number nine in its design, strongly indicate it was reserved for emperor. The prominent lingzhi motif, a symbol of longevity, further suggests the vase may have been created to commemorate an imperial birthday.

The form of the mouth of this vase is particularly attractive and skilfully executed - complementing the overall shape and decoration of the vase and providing additional symbolism. Turned-down ruyi mouths of this type are rare on porcelain vessels, as they would have been difficult to make and fire successfully. The rare turned-down mouths seen on Ming and Qing dynasty porcelains may ultimately derive from the vases with lobed turned-down mouths made in the 12th and 13th centuries. These latter vases were made at the Jun kilns and the Cizhou kilns, as well as being found amongst qingbai porcelains from the Jingdezhen kilns (see R. Kerr, Song Ceramics, London, 2004, p. 32, no. 22; T. Mikami, Sekai Toji Zenshu 13 Liao Jin Yuan, Tokyo, 1981, pp. 110-11, no. 92; and S. Pierson (ed.), Qingbai Ware: Chinese Porcelain of the Song and Yuan Dynasties, London, 2002, pp. 136-7, no. 71).

The first appearance of turned-down mouths on Ming dynasty porcelains from the Jingdezhen kilns appears to be in the Xuande reign, on vases such as the blue and white vessel illustrated in Catalogue of the Special Exhibition of Hsuan-te Imperial Porcelains of the Ming Dynasty, Taipei, 1998, pp. 80-1, no. 13 (fig. 2), which is also decorated with lingzhi sprays. However, the distinctive lappet-shape of the down-turned mouth on vessels such as the current vase appears to be a Qianlong period innovation. A related turned-down mouth featuring ruyi-head can be seen on the pair of blue and white Qianlong vases sold at Christie’s London, 11 May 2010, lot 217. For related famille rose examples, Palace Museum, Beijing, has a vase that is strikingly similar in shape with the current vase, although with somewhat more attenuated proportions, see Views of Antiquity in the Qing Imperial Palace: special exhibition to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Palace Museum, 2006, pp. 164-165, no. 52 (fig. 3). Similarly shaped mouth rims can also be seen on a celadon-glazed gu-shaped vase, illustrated in Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong - Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989, p. 461, no. 143. The shape of the mouth of the vase was rarely attempted by potters, almost certainly because of the difficulties in firing such a form, and the beautifully painted lingzhi on each lappet of the mouth appear to be unique to this vase and the one in the National Palace Museum.

The deep, intense cobalt blue and refined painting style of the present vase are reminiscent of Ming-style pieces from the Yongzheng period, suggesting an early Qianlong date for this vase. The depiction of spotted dragons may also be derived from Yongzheng prototypes, as seen on a pair of doucai mallet-shaped vases in the Tianjin Municipal Museum, see Porcelains from the Tianjin Municipal Museum, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 161, where the chi dragons are also depicted holding lingzhi sprays. Moreover, the proliferation of lingzhi fungi on this vase and its companion in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, is exceptional, with each fungus rendered with great care and attention to detail.

Lot 819. A fine and very rare green-enamelled and famille rose ‘dragon fish’-handled bottle vase, Qianlong six-character seal mark in iron red and of the period (1736-1795); 23.3 cm high, box. Price realised HKD 3,048,000 (Estimate HKD 800,000 – HKD 1,200,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2026

Provenance: Collection of Edward T. Chow (1910-1980)
Sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, The Edward T. Chow Collection- Part One, 25 November 1980, lot 175
Property from a Private Collection; sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 30 April 1996, lot 501

Note: The globular body is supported on a slightly splayed foot, rising to a tall neck and flaring at the mouth, flanked on both sides with a dragon-fish handle suspending a blue ‘endless knot’ on a yellow cord with pink tassels. The vase is covered with a soft lime green enamel.

The present vase is notable for its exceptionally restrained design, a rarity in which the unadorned body serves to showcase the subtle elegance of the enamel colour. This minimalist aesthetic is complemented by the exquisite craftsmanship of the dragon-fish handles, which are enriched by the inclusion of the ‘endless knot’. As one of the Eight Buddhist Emblems, its presence reflects the emperor's personal devotion to Buddhism.

Compare to a Qianlong turquoise-ground vase with ruyi-form handles suspending tassels, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Porcelains with Cloisonne Enamel Decoration and Famille Rose Decoration, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 135, no. 118 (fig. 1). Another related example is with fish-pendant handles suspending cords threaded through swastikas, published in Chinese Ceramics in The Baur Collection, vol. 2, Geneva, 1999, pp. 130-131. Further compare to a Qianlong celadon-glazed vase decorated with ruyi-shaped handles with ‘endless knots’, from the Zande Lou Collection and included in Qing Imperial Monochromes- the Zande Lou Collection, Hong Kong, 2005, p.120-121, no. 43.

Christie's. The Ai Lian Tang Collection - 800 Years of Chinese Ceramics, Hong Kong, 30 April 2026