Lot 3052. A fine and rare turquoise-ground famille-rose vase, Seal mark and period of Qianlong  (1736-1795);  20.3 cm., 8 in. Estimate 7,000,000 — 9,000,000 HKD. Lot sold 11,440,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's

the ovoid body decorated with lotus flowers interspersed by ruyi heads suspended from further lotus scrolls amidst meandering foliate designs, all between a band of upright lappets and a band of archaistic dragons at the shoulder, the waisted neck similarly decorated and flanked by iron-red scroll handles, the flared mouth with a narrow classic scroll, all in brilliant opaque enamels outlined in gilt against a turquoise ground extending to the interior and base, the base inscribed in iron red with a six-character reign mark.

Provenance: Collection of W.W. Winkworth (1897-1991). 
Sotheby's London, 12th December 1972, lot 175. 
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 24th May 1978, lot 253.
Christie's New York, 10th December 1987, lot 280.
Collection of Robert Chang.
Christie's Hong Kong, 2nd November 1999, lot 505.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 26th October 2003, lot 121.

Exhibition: An Exhibition of Important Chinese Ceramics from the Robert Chang Collection, Christie's, London, 1993, cat. no. 101 (illustrated).

Bibliography: Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994-2010, vol. 4, no. 1774.

Note: This vase is a particularly fine example of this cloisonné style of decoration, which was popular with the Qianlong Emperor, but was rarely executed with this multitude of enamel colours. Although the classic form, colour scheme, formal flower scroll and archaistic dragons all represent an archetypal Qianlong style, the present design appears to be unique. A similar form was in the Qianlong reign also used for wall vases; compare a pair of pink-ground wall vases of similar proportions and handles but with added stands, in Christie's Hong Kong, 29th May 2007, lot 1383.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Hong Kong, 08 avr. 2013