Lot 5. A rare turquoise-glazed hexagonal biscuit brushpot, bitong, Kangxi period (1662-1722); 14.6cm (5 3/4in) high. Sold for £7,650 (Estimate £3,000-£5,000). © Bonhams 2001-2022

Elegantly potted with six straight sides rising from a stepped foot with six bracket-feet, rising to a flat-lipped mouth rim, covered with a lustrous turquoise-blue glaze with a 'fish-roe' crackle, save the base. 

Provenance: Heliot Fils, Rue de Berlin, Paris (label)
S. Marchant & Son, London, 12 June 1996.

Note: The present lot has a lustrous turquoise-blue glaze. Turquoise glazes were occasionally used during the Tang dynasty on earthenware tomb figures and by the 12th century the glaze was used at kilns associated with tile-making; turquoise glazes can be seen on Jin dynasty (1115-1234) Cizhou stonewares. While turquoise glazes were applied to Jingdezhen porcelains in the Yuan and Ming dynasties, they did not come to prominence on porcelain until the Qing dynasty. This low-fired alkaline glaze was made by mixing saltpetre (potassium nitrate), quartz and copper powder. The turquoise glaze is highly fluxed, and is quite runny during firing so it tends to pool attractively in the various indentations of the design as it cools. The glaze would be applied and fired after the porcelain vessel had had an initial 'biscuit' firing. The base is covered in a thin clear glaze and shows an imprint of the fabric on which the pot stood before the feet were applied.

Turquoise-glazed porcelain vessels continued from the Kangxi to Yongzheng and Qianlong reigns. See a turquoise glazed meiping vase, incised Kangxi six-character mark and of the period, which was sold at Bonhams London, 12 May 2016, lot 67.

Bonhams. THE MARSH COLLECTION ART FOR THE LITERATI, 3 November 2022, London, New Bond Street