Lot 325. Vase balustre en porcelaine tendre, Chine, marque et époque Qianlong (1736-1795); 25,5 cm; 10 in. Estimate 15,000—20,000 EUR. Lot sold 90,750 EUR. Photo: Sotheby's 2008

de forme balustre archaïsante avec un col évasé et deux anses de têtes d'éléphants, la section centrale décorée d'une large frise moulurée de masque taotie, entre deux bandeaux plus petits de dragons arcahaïques Kui, une frise de cartouche de ruyi autour du col et sur le pourtour du pied, le vase harmonieusement recouvert d'une belle glaçure transparente légèrement bleutée, la base circulaire incisée avec une marque kaishu Qianlong à six caractères. La couverte au col légèrement poncée. 

A white soft paste baluster vase, China, Qianlong mark and period (1736-1795)

Note: It is rare to find vases of this exceptional quality and with such a crisp relief-carved surface decoration. Qianlong period vessels of this type, often referred to as 'imitating Ding Ware' (fang Ding yao) after the deep opaque white glaze associated with the much celebrated 'Ding' wares of the Song dynasty, formed part of the Qing Court collection, see The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, pls. 239-241. The decoration found on this vase is inspired by archaic bronze vessels, and is comparable with a Qianlong marked soft-paste vase of bronze form with carved decoration of a broad band of archaistic dragons, included in the Min Chiu Society exhibition Monochrome Ceramics, Taipei, 1977, cat. no. 141; and another similar vase with cover sold in our Hong Kong, 17^th May 1988, lot 90.

For related examples of Qianlong vases of this type see a pair of bottle-form vessels with carved flower motif sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 8^th April 2007, lot 725; another vase with floral decoration, from the J.M. Hu collection, sold in our New York rooms, 4^th June 1985, lot 32; and one decorated with dragons, from the Alfred E. Hippisley collection, sold at Anderson Galleries, New York, 30^th January 1925, lot 248.

Sotheby's. Paris. Asian Arts. 12 Jun 08