Lot 1437. A fine and rare pair of iron-red-decorated bowls and covers, Xiqing Tang zhi marks in iron red, 18th-19th century; 4¼ in. (10.8 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 40,000 - USD 60,000. Price realised USD 37,500. © Christie's Image Ltd 2010.

The exterior of each bowl and cover painted with a poem by the Qianlong emperor between ruyi borders repeated on the interior at the rim and surrounding a medallion of branches of pine, plum blossoms and finger citron, the inscription incorporates the cyclical date bingyin year, corresponding to 1746.

Note: The poem inscribed on these bowls, Sanqing cha (Three Purity Tea), was one of the Qianlong Emperor's favorites, and described the tea made from plum blossoms, finger citron and pine nut kernels, and further describes the virtues of tea making. Each New Year the emperor would hold a tea-drinking banquet in the Forbidden City and his guests were invited to compose poetry.

The present bowls are related to very similar bowls with Qianlong iron-red seal marks, such as one in the collection of the National Palace Museum illustrated in Emperor Qianlong's Grand Cultural Enterprise, Taipei, 2002, no. 51, and another in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Life of the Emperor Qianlong, Macao Museum of Art, Macao, 2002, no. 79. Three other bowls of this design are illustrated and discussed by P. Lam in "Tang Yin (1682-1756): The Imperial Factory Superintendent at Jingdezhen", T.O.C.S., vol. 63, London, 1998-99, p. 69, fig. 4. See, also, the similar bowl with Qianlong iron-red seal mark sold in these rooms, 20 September 2005, lot 347.

The present pair of bowls appears to be the only known examples of this design bearing the hallmark, Xiqing Tang zhi (made for the Xiqing Hall). This hallmark is recorded by G. Davison in The Handbook of Marks on Chinese Ceramics, London, 1994, pp. 72 and 173, no. 652, where the author attributes it to the Daoguang period.

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Including Property from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections. 26 March 2010. New York, Rockefeller Plaza