A Large Fine and Rare 'Clair-De-Lune' Basin. Seal Mark and Period of Yongzheng - Photo Sotheby's

robustly potted, of compressed globular form, the rounded sides elegantly rising from a small bulge above the straight foot to high rounded shoulders and a lipped rim, covered overall with an even 'clair-de-lune' glaze finely suffused with bubbles, the base inscribed with a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue, set on a carved wood stand reticulated on top with a large foliate lotus; 41 cm., 16 1/8 in. Estimation: 3,000,000 - 4,000,000 HKD

PROVENANCE: A private Japanese collection.

NOTE DE CATALOGUE: Compare another example of this form with a pale celadon glaze from the Zande Lou Collection, now in the collection of the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Qing Imperial Monochromes from the Zande Lou Collection, Hong Kong, 2005,no. 4, p. 62. In the catalogue entry for the Zande Lou basin, Zhou Lili suggests that these were often used as fishbowls. See also another example in the Palace Museum Collection, Beijing, illustrated in Monochrome Porcelain, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1999, no. 206, pl. 228. Another example with the exterior glazed deep blue with Yongzheng six-character seal mark and of the period was sold in these rooms, 30th March 2006, lot 318.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. Hong Kong | 09 oct. 2012 www.sothebys.com