Lot 2910. A rare small lime-green glazed vase, mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 11 cm., 4 3/8 in. Estimate 800,000 — 1,000,000 HKD. Lot sold 3,847,500 HKD (312,585 EUR). Courtesy Sotheby's 2008.

of well potted small squat form with low angular shoulders rising to a cylindrical neck and dished mouth, finely carved around the sides with a frieze of three asymmetrical archaistic kui dragons composed of detached scroll motifs, below 'S'-scrolls and detached stylised zoomorphs, all separated by small studs, with a band of upright overlapping leaf lappets below further 'S'-scrolls, evenly applied overall with a rich lime-green glaze thining on the raised surfaces to enhance the decoration, inscribed on the base with the six-character seal mark in underglaze-blue.

Note: Vases of this form and size are extremely rare.  The mallet-shaped form may be derived from taller Yongzheng examples with plain celadon glazes, possibly in imitation of Song dynasty mallet or 'paper-beater' vases in Longquan celadon and their fine 'kinuta' glazes.  See a related Yongzheng example in the Bauer Collection, Geneva, illustrated in The Baur Collection, Chinese Ceramics, Geneva, vol.3, no. A361, and another was sold in these rooms, 28th November 1978, lot 189.

Carved-slip decoration recalling archaic bronzes may be found on much larger celadon-glazed vases.  However, vases of this form, with asymmetrical design are very rare, and no other Yongzheng example similiar to the present piece appears to be recorded.  Compare a Qianlong example, of similar form but of slightly larger size, sold in our New York rooms, 19th September 2001, lot 155.   Its identical companion piece is in the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland, accession no. 49.1314.   

Bottle, Qianlong period (1735-1795), porcelain with inlay and celadon glaze, 3 7/8 in. (9.84 cm), Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest, 49.1314.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 11 Apr 2008