Lot 159. An incised celadon-glazed 'lotus' brushpot, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period. Height 15.5 cm. Lot Sold 6,400 USD (Estimate 6,000 - 8,000 USD) © Sotheby's 2026

Provenance: Sotheby's New York, 31st March-1st April 2005, lot 135.

Lot 39. A fine and rare pair of lemon-yellow-enameled cups, Marks and period of Yongzheng. Diameter 6.5 cm. Lot Sold 192,000 USD (Estimate 80,000 - 120,000 USD) © Sotheby's 2026

the base of each with a six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double square (2).

Provenance: Collection of Vera Goldschlager (1916-1999).

Christie's Hong Hong, 30th April 2001, lot 672.

Note: Gloriously light in the palm, soft to the touch and sweet to the eye, the present pair of lemon-yellow cups represents the pinnacle of imperial monochrome porcelain production. The official color of the Qing dynasty and the emperor himself – yellow, huang 黄 being homophonous with emperor, huang 皇 – yellow glazes appear to have been a personal favorite of the Yongzheng Emperor (r. 1723–1735), who involved himself diligently in the manufacture of imperial wares. As the famous imperial kiln supervisor Tang Ying notes in his records of his time working under the Yongzheng Emperor, the Tao cheng jishi (Records of Ceramic Achievements), twelve distinct yellow glazes were produced during his brief reign, enabling the production of a rich and enthralling variety of yellow imperial porcelains.

The present pair, enrobed in a soft ‘lemon yellow’ derived from antimoniate oxide, is a particularly marvelous example of this innovation. Somehow both opaque yet luminous, crisp yet fluid, the present pair are a delight to touch – a fact further emphasized by the fineness of their potting.

While 'imperial yellow' wares appear to have been restricted to ritual uses and employed on the Altars of the Earth and the State (cf. imperial blue wares used at the Altar of Heaven), this magnificent 'yellow lemon' provided a secular alternative for the Emperor's personal use.

Surviving examples of this size and quality appear seldom to market, let alone as a pair. Compare a related cup from the collection of Dr Wou Kiuan, sold in these rooms, 22nd March 2022, lot 79, with a slightly more flared rim than the present more serene form; a further pair formerly in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, later illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994-2010, vol. 2, no. 908; and a single cup, particularly close in form, sold twice in our rooms, most recently in our Hong Kong rooms, 7th October 2010, lot 2654.

Lot 43. A pair of lavender-glazed bowls, Marks and period of Yongzheng. Diameter 14.3 cm. Lot Sold 51,200 USD (Estimate 30,000 - 50,000 USD) © Sotheby's 2026

the base of each with a six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle (2)

Provenance: Collection of Marion Wendy Gilbert (1933 - 2025), acquired prior to 1984, and thence by descent.

Lot 154. A rare celadon-glazed jar, Mark and period of Yongzheng. Height 18.8 cm. Lot Sold 51,200 USD (Estimate 40,000 - 60,000 USD) © Sotheby's 2026

Provenance:;Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8th October 2006, lot 1018.

Note: Monochrome glazes reached new heights of technical sophistication and artistic refinement during the Yongzheng reign (1723-1735), owing to the remarkable innovations achieved at the imperial kilns of Jingdezhen. New glaze formulations were developed, while those inherited from earlier periods were refined to an unprecedented degree of perfection. Although a delicate, almost translucent celadon glaze had already been successfully produced at the imperial kilns in the early fifteenth century, the Yongzheng period witnessed renewed experimentation with a range of celadon tones and textures. The Yongzheng Emperor appears to have held this subtle glaze in particularly high esteem and, according to the palace records, personally instructed the imperial kilns to produce celadon wares to the emperor's taste (see Yang Boda, ‘Imperial Porcelain of the Qing Dynasty’, The Tsui Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1991, p. 46). Jars of this particular type are exceedingly rare. See two sold at Sotheby's, one in our London rooms, 8th July 1975, lot 189, and the other in these rooms, 8th May 1980, lot 231.  

Lot 45. A large 'ge'-type lobed elephant-handled vase, Seal mark and period of Qianlong. Height 37.1 cm. Lot Sold 70,400 USD (Estimate 40,000 - 60,000 USD) © Sotheby's 2026

the base with a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue.

Provenance: Ralph M. Chait Galleries, New York (label).

West Coast Private Collection.

Note: Skillfully decorated with an even glaze marked with an attractive matrix of ‘iron-wire’ and golden crackles, the present vase belongs to a group of vessels inspired by the celebrated ge wares of the Song dynasty (960-1279). In addition to the crackles, which were often stained to enhance their prominence, these archaistic vessels were dressed on the unglazed bodies with a dark brown slip, as seen on the foot ring of the present vase, to simulate the so-called 'iron foot' characteristic of the stoneware prototypes.

The enduring appeal of Song ceramics at the Qing court was closely tied to the Qianlong Emperor’s well-known passion for antiquarianism. Deeply engaged with the study and collection of antiquities, the emperor greatly admired the Song aesthetics. Under his patronage, the imperial kilns produced a wide range of objects that consciously revived the forms, materials and decorative styles of the Song dynasty. Rather than direct reproductions, these works often embodied the Qing imperial taste, reflecting the emperor’s desire to not only celebrate the artistic achievements of the past but to also reinterpret them.

In addition, the Qianlong Emperor’s antiquarian interests also encouraged the adaptation of ancient ritual bronze forms into porcelain. Drawing inspiration from Shang and Zhou dynasty bronzes preserved in the imperial collection and illustrated in catalogues such as the Xiqing gujian, potters at Jingdezhen transformed archaic vessel types into ceramic counterparts. Bronze-inspired forms were recreated in a variety of glazes and enamels, combing ancient traditions with the technical mastery of the Qing craftsmanship.

See a closely related Qianlong ge-type vase of the same form, sold at Christie's London, 15th May 2007, lot 255; and another vase of a slightly different form, sold at Christie's New York, 24th March 2004, lot 237. A ru-type vase of the same form and size is included in Kobayashi Tadashi, ed., Masterpieces of the Okada Museum of Art, vol. 2, Tokyo, 2018, no. 20, and sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 22nd November 2025, lot 1038. Qianlong mark and period vases of this form and with similar handles are also known decorated with famille-rose panels against a carved celadon-glazed ground, such as one from the collection of the Albright-Knox Gallery, Buffalo, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 1st October 1991, lot 786, and again in our these rooms, 19th-20th March 2007, lot 818. 

Lot 162. A red-glazed bottle vase, Qing dynasty, 18th century. Height 12½ in., 31.8 cm. Lot Sold 6,400 USD (Estimate 5,000 - 7,000 USD) © Sotheby's 2026

Provenance: Collection of Lillian R. Berkman (1922-2001).

Sotheby's New York, 22nd-23rd September 2004, lot 293.

Lot 221. A yellow-glazed ovoid jar, Seal mark and period of Daoguang. Height 23 cm. Lot Sold 12,800 USD (Estimate 10,000 - 15,000 USD) © Sotheby's 2026

the base incised with a six-character seal mark within a double square, wood stand (2).

Provenance: American Private Collection, acquired prior to 1973, and thence by descent.

Lot 222. An incised yellow-glazed 'dragon' dish, Seal mark and period of Daoguang. Diameter 17 cm. Lot Sold 16,640 USD (Estimate 6,000 - 8,000 USD) © Sotheby's 2026

the base with a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue, wood stand (2)

Provenance: American Private Collection, acquired prior to 1973, and thence by descent.

Lot 223. A pair of blue-glazed dishes, Marks and period of Guangxu. Diameter 20.4 cm. Lot Sold 10,240 USD (Estimate 5,000 - 7,000 USD) © Sotheby's 2026

the base of each with a six-character mark in underglaze blue (2)

Provenance: Collection of Fu Zuoyi (1895-1974), and thence by descent.

Sotheby's. Chinese Art, New York, 16-25 September 2026