Lot 256. A fine and rare teadust-glazed vase (hu), Qianlong seal mark and period (1736-1795); height 10 in., 25.3 cm. Estimate 120,000 - 150,000 USD. Lot sold 182,500 USD. Photo courtesy Sotheby's 2010

based on an archaistic hu form, the generous pear-shaped body supported by a slightly splayed foot, set with a pair of tubular handles just below the lipped rim, the body covered overall in a rich olive-green glaze, the base glazed and impressed with a sixcharacter reign mark

Note: It is unusual to find a pear-shaped vase with lug handles in the teadust glaze. The form harks back to the archaic bronze hu  and the glaze imitates the green patination found on bronzes. A flambé-glazed Yongzheng marked vessel in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 180. A teadust-glazed vase of the same shape was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 9th October 2007, lot 1524.

Lot 259. A large 'Guan'-type brushwater, Qing dynasty, 18th century; width 10 in., 25.5 cm. Estimate 8,000 - 12,000 USD. Lot sold 10,625 USD. Photo courtesy Sotheby's 2010

naturalistically modeled in the form of a lingzhi fungus, the washer further centered by a ruyi  head with its stalk continuing down to the underside and dividing into three further ruyi  heads to form the feet, covered overall in a pale white glaze with wide black craquelure interlaced with finer pale brown craquelure

Note: A smaller washer in the shape of a lingzhi and also covered with a glaze imitating 'Guan' ware, is in the Collection of the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan, and illustrated in Harmony and Integrity. The Yongzheng Emperor and His Times, Taipei, National Palace Museum, 2009, p. 254, pl. II-77.

Lot 261. A fine Ru-type vase (hu), Qianlong seal mark and period (1736-1795);  height 12 in., 30.5 cm. Estimate 180,000 - 250,000 USD. Lot sold 386,500 USD. Photo courtesy Sotheby's 2010

of pear-shaped form, the rounded sides resting on a slightly flared foot rising to an everted mouthrim, the shoulder molded with a raised band and set with a pair of stylized elephant handles, covered overall in a pale greyish-blue glaze, the base inscribed with a six-character Qianlong seal mark in archaising characters.

NOTE: This vase is exceptional for its magnificent size and fine glaze in imitation of Song dynasty 'Ru' ware. The crackled wares of 'Guan' , 'Ge' and 'Ru' of the Song period were highly regarded by the Qianlong emperor who not only collected them but also commissioned the making of new porcelain with similar glaze from the Imperial kilns for his appreciation. The present vase is an outstanding example of the very high quality monochrome wares produced in the Imperial kilns at Jingdezhen during his reign.

A related example was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 24th November 1987, lot 138. Two smaller vases of this form and glaze were sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 18th May 1988, lot 234; and the other, 29th April 1997, lot 578. The type is also known covered with a teadust glaze, such as one illustrated in Sekai toji zenshu , vol. 15, Tokyo, 1983, pl. 277; and another from the Yokogawa Collection in the Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, published in The Illustrated Catalogue of Tokyo National Museum. Chinese Ceramics II, Tokyo, 1990, pl. 702

Lot 264. A copper-red vase (meiping), Qianlong seal mark and period (1736-1795); height 12 1/4 in., 31 cm. Estimate 80,000 - 120,000 USD. Lot sold 98,500 USD. Photo courtesy Sotheby's 2010

The high shouldered body tapering to a slightly flared foot supporting a short waisted neck, covered overall in a rich red glaze, pooling to a deeper tone at the foot, the base incised with a six-character seal mark. 

Note: The use of copper-red glaze at Jingdezhen was revived by the Kangxi emperor after the decline in usage during the late 15th, 16th and early 17th centuries. With the effort to reproduce classic Ming sacrificial-red (jihong) porcelains, Qing copper-red pieces quickly outnumbered their Ming counterparts. Nigel Wood in Chinese Glazes, London, 1999, p. 180, notes how the French Jesuit missionary, Pere Francois D'Entrecolles (b. 1664-1741) wrote letters giving detailed accounts of the copper-red production at Jingdezhen, the sourcing of the copper for the glaze, the recipes and the kiln location of the firing of these wares. D'Entrecolles was aware of the difficulties involved in the making of copper-red wares and his account confirms the high level of technical knowledge of the potters at Jingdezhen. Although copper-red pieces can be readily found from the Kangxi and Yongzheng periods, by Qianlong's reign they become fewer in number. A small number of Qianlong mark and period examples are recorded. See a slightly smaller  meiping  in the Roemer Museum, Hildesheim, also with a Qianlong reign mark and of the period, illustrated in Ulrich Wiesner, Chinesisches Porzellan, Mainz am Rhein, 1981, pl. 99; and another sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 10th April 2006, lot 1521. Another vase of this form and glaze, from the collection of Professor Ross Edman, was sold in these rooms, 23rd September 1995, lot 426 and again, 18th March 2008, lot 151.

Lot 400. A yellow-glazed 'Dragon' saucer dish, Jiaqing mark and period (1796-1820); diameter 6 3/4 in., 7.2 cm. Estimate 8,000 - 12,000 USD. Lot sold 17,500 USD. Photo courtesy Sotheby's 2010

the shallow rounded sides supported by a short straight foot rising to a slightly lipped rim, the interior incised with a central medallion with a ferocious dragon amidst scrolling clouds and flames, the exterior incised with two striding dragons, all beneath a rich yellow glaze, the base glazed white and painted with an underglaze-blue seal mark.

Sotheby's. Fine Ceramics and works of Art, New York, 15 Sept 2010.