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Lot 7
A Chinese Xing ware white-glazed jar,Tang dynasty (618-907), of ovoid form on a flared circular foot, with four lug handles to the short neck, applied to the exterior with a crackled glaze of a pale ivory tone, stopping irregularly to the middle revealing the fine stoneware body, with a 'Spink & Son, London, G. de Menasce Collection 19' label,18.5cm highProvenance: G de Menasce Collection, Spink & Son, London. G de Menasce Collection Sale, item 19.Baron Georges Ferdinand Joseph Behar de Menasce OBE (1890-1967), whose collection was sold by Spinks in 1971-1972: 'Catalogue of the Collection of Chinese Porcelain and Works of Art formed by the late G de Menace OBE', Spink, 10 May-26 May 1972.For a similar item, see British Museum, museum number 1968,0422.23. 唐 邢窑白釉四系罐Condition report: Glaze flakes throughout. Surface scratches, small chips to foot.
Lot 71
A Chinese qianjiang porcelain tray,Republic period (1912-1949), of shaped rectangular form with a channelled border, painted with a lady seated by a window under a blossoming tree, dated year of Dingchou, inscribed with the signature of Jin Pinqing,23.7cm long民国 浅绛彩人物故事图托盘 金品卿款Condition report: Chips to rim.
Lot 399
Chinese porcelain claire-de-lune vase. Delicately potted, of baluster form with a flaring lip. Marked along the underside with a six-character Kangxi mark in underglaze blue. With custom silk box. Box and vase both with labels from the sale of the Jingguantang Collection, Christie's, Hong Kong, 5 November 1997.Provenance: Christie's Hong Kong, November 5, 1997; Collection of Bruce Dayton & Ruth Stricker Dayton, Minnesota.Box; height: 3 3/4 in x width: 8 in x depth: 7 1/4 in. Vase; height: 6 1/4 in x diameter: 2 1/4 in.
Lot 398
Chinese eggshell porcelain bowl, delicately painted along the exterior with a mountainous landscape. The interior is decorated with a radiating blue design with a central image depicting a bird. Marked with a six character seal mark in underglaze blue along the underside.Provenance: Collection of Bruce Dayton & Ruth Stricker Dayton, Minnesota.Height: 4 in x diameter: 9 3/4 in.
Lot 403
Chinese Guangxu period porcelain garden barrel. Molded with studs divided by pierced double cash motifs. Profusely decorated in famille rose enamels, with two reserves depicting a five clawed dragon and a phoenix. The background is filled with scrolling foliate motifs, bordered by geometric and floral bands.Provenance: Collection of Bruce Dayton & Ruth Stricker Dayton, Minnesota.Height: 19 in x diameter: 13 in.
Lot 226
A Satsuma cylindrical koro (incense burner) and coverBy Gyozan, Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th centuryDecorated in enamels and gilt, the body with a continuous wide band of assorted Chinese and Japanese vessels ranging from archaic bronze, earthenware, celadon and porcelain blue-and-white vases, trays, teapots and chawan used for the tokonoma and the tea ceremony; on a cream crackled ground, the cover partially pierced in the form of a chrysanthemum and applied with a gilt florette; signed on the base Gyozan beneath the typical Shimazu crest. 13.3cm (5¼in) high. (2).For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 1526
Garniture of three Worcester style vases decorated with exotic birds amidst foliage in reserve panels on a blue scale and gilt ground, comprising two tapering square vases and covers, a hexagonal vase and cover, all with Pseudo-Chinese marks, and a pair of French oriental style porcelain vase decorated with exotic bird in shaped reserve panels on blue and gilt ground, H31cm max (5)
Lot 1535
Collection of oriental porcelain and other ceramics including a Chinese alter candlestick painted with a dragon, four Chinese export ware plates with painted decoration, a Canton oval dish painted with alternating panels of figures and garden landscapes, a similar pair of square dishes, a modern bowl decorated with butterflies and foliage on a blue ground and three modern armorial plates, some faults (14)
Lot 58
Chinese porcelain, to include a Chinese blue and white vase decorated with a tiger stalking various animals, a dragon above looking down, Kangxi mark but later, 14cm high, together with a Chinese twin handled sauceboat with foliate decoration 23cm long and a Chinese dish with central a phoenix and dragon to the centre of the bowl, blue mark to the base, 25cm diameter, all with restoration, (3)
Lot 252
A pair of 18th century Chinese porcelain blue and white vases and covers of rectangular waisted form with tapered domed lids, decorated with an official sat on a table, an attendant and a man with a staff to one side and ponds of blossoming trees, flowers, foliage and rocks with a band of floral lapels, with a Ming six character mark to the base, 26.5cm highCondition: minor fritting to each vasevase 1 - finial has been glued on and a chip to the rim and a chop to each cornervase 2 - chip to the finial chips to the rim and two corners crack to two sides possibly only glaze crack
Lot 385
An early 20th century Chinese porcelain vase of baluster form and flared rim, decorated with panels of garden flowers with birds and insects, infilled with borders of Famille Rose, garden flowers and butterflies, height 42cm, printed six-character mark to the base within two red circles, together with a late 19th/early 20th century porcelain tea caddy of square form, with round panels of figures in garden scenes, also fan and shaped panels of Famille Rose, the body filled with scrolls and flowers on a yellow ground, height to top of spout, the square body 11.5 x 6.5 x 12.5cm (2). CONDITION REPORT Rectangular vase lacking lid, Any wear appears to be age related, no signs of restoration or repairbaluster vase, no obvious damage or repair
Lot 366
A 19th century Chinese blue and white baluster vase with flared rim, decorated with peonies and insects, blue concentric circles to the top of the base of the vase, height 21.5cm. CONDITION REPORT There is some age related wear and some firing flaws to the body, around a quarter of the rim has small areas of chips and missing porcelain, no evidence of major restoration or damage.
Lot 637
A small quantity of Sotheby's catalogues from various auctions to include 'Good Japanese Ceramics, Works of Art and Furniture', 'Continental Porcelain and Enamels', 'The Lipski Collection of English and Irish Delftware', etc and two Bloomsbury Auctions catalogues 'Chinese Propaganda Posters' and 'Red China', various dates, and a quantity of ceramic and Oriental reference books to include Yates-Owen and Fournier; 'British Studio Potters' Marks', Doctor Fischer; 'Jugendstil und Art Deco', etc.Provenance: Part of the Paul Lightfoot Collection.
Lot 321
We are delighted to be offering in this sale the Paul Lightfoot Collection of Asian Art. Mr Lightfoot amassed a large collection of Oriental works of art including Chinese & Korean porcelain, Japanese satsuma, furniture, and a library of auction catalogues and books relating to many subjects. A pair of 20th century blanc de chine Dogs of Fo, each seated on a square decorative plinth, height 30cm (2).Provenance: Part of the Paul Lightfoot Collection. CONDITION REPORT Both appear good
Lot 634
A good collection of Phillips, Sotheby's and other auction house catalogues mainly relating to Oriental works of art and decorative items and a quantity of 'Hali, The International Magazine of Antique Carpets and Textiles', various issues to include 1995, 1996, 1998 and others, a quantity of 'International Watch' magazine, various years, and a quantity of mainly Oriental related books to include, Patricia Bjaaland Welch, 'Chinese Art, a guide to motifs and visual imagery', Duncan MacIntosh, 'Chinese Blue and White Porcelain' and many more (2).Provenance: Part of the Paul Lightfoot Collection.
Lot 165
A Samson-type porcelain bottle vaselate 19th centurydecorated in the Chinese export style with a coat of arms and a partial motto 'Fro Rege Lege Grece' (For King and People)apocryphal seal mark, 25cm highCondition report: Some wear to the gilding around the rim. Elsewhere, there are a few small sections of the relief white enamel is missing. No further signs of any damages or repairs.
Lot 598
A group of early 20thC and later coffee cans and saucers, to include a Royal Doulton birds of paradise coffee can and saucer, a Crown Staffordshire Leeds pottery miniature tankard, Coalport Hong Kong pattern miniature cup and saucer, Wedgwood strawberry pattern dolls teacup and saucer, Coalport Indian tree miniature teapot, Coalport milk jug, an Aynsley coffee can and saucer, a Dresden style cup and saucer, Copeland cup and saucer (AF), other English porcelain, and a Chinese tea bowl. (a quantity)
Lot 363
A large Chinese blue and white porcelain baluster jar, with foliate decoration and butterflies, 4 character mark on base, height 35cmGood overall condition, though there is a small slither chip to the inside of the neck. A re-glued oval chip on the edge of the base and body, which is clearly visible, also chipped to the base. Some over-painting around the repair. Surface scratches and marks. Overall width of opening - 13.2cm, internal width - 12cm.
Lot 214
A VERY LARGE RARE GREY STONEWARE HUMAN-HEADED PILLARHan DynastyThe hollow rectangular pillar with two canted corners, moulded with panel of stylised foliate and archaic motifs, surmounted by a crouching human headed figure, the arms held together at the front and legs tucked in at the sides. 123cm (48 1/2in) high.Footnotes:漢 石雕人像柱Provenance: a distinguished UK Private collection, according to the owner the pillar has been in their collection from circa 1975來源：英國傑出私人收藏，據稱於約1975年入藏The present pillar would have been positioned before the entrance to a multi-chambered underground burial belonging to a high-ranking member of the Han dynasty. The various scenes of entertainment, parades, protective guardians and mythical figures formed part of an elaborate setting aimed at sustaining the tomb occupant in their afterlife. The ancestors in China were believed to be active participants to the life of their living offspring, which they could positively influence if provided with continuous nourishment and all the right necessities for their afterlife existence. A miniature universe was thus presented to the tomb occupant in the form of multi-chambered burials, constructed underground, which mimicked the large estate inhabited by the owner before death. These included parades of officials entering the gate, banqueting and hunting scenes, reception halls, musical scenes. Heavenly realms were also part of this elaborate settings and normally depicted in the form of spirits riding clouds, unusual birds and the four animals, symbolising the four quadrants of the sky and earth; see J.Rawson, 'The Eternal Palaces of the Western Han: A New View of the Universe' in Artibus Asiae, vol.59, 1999, pp.5-58; see also ibid., 'Creating Universes: Cultural Exchange as Seen in Tombs in Northern China Between the Han and Tang Periods', in Between Han and Tang. Cultural and Artistic Interactions in a Transformative period, Beijing, 2001, pp.113-152.Compare with a nearly identical stoneware pillar, first century AD, in the British Museum, London, illustrated by S.Vainker, Chinese Pottery and Porcelain: From Prehistory to the Present, London, 1991, p.46, fig.33.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TPTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 285
TWO EMBROIDERED SILK FAN CASES19th century Both finely embroidered in counted stitch technique, the first with two deep coral-red bats hovering amidst vaporous ruyi clouds executed in vibrant blue shades, the blue cord with a pair of porcelain spheres decorated with polychrome floral designs, 30.5cm (12in) long; the second 18th century example of fine silk gauze finely-embroidered in subtly-coloured silk and gold and silver wrapped threads with an intricate diaper pattern incorporating Shou and Shuangxi characters with similar woven edgings, the yellow cord with couched gold knots, 31cm (12 2/8in) long.(2).Footnotes:十九世紀 扇套兩件Provenance: Linda Wrigglesworth, London來源：倫敦Linda WrigglesworthFinely woven with auspicious designs of bats and elegant medallions enclosing the characters for longevity and double happiness, the present fan cases would have been suspended from a belt girdle worn around the waist, over a silk robe. Purses were acceptable gifts to mark special occasions and it was the custom for the Emperor to reward his high-ranking officials with elegant sets of five purses, which included a fan and a spectacle case, a pair of drawstring purses containing jewelled charms and a flat purse for storing money; see V.Garret, Chinese Dress: From the Qing Dynasty to the Present, Claredon, VT, 2008, pp.89-91.Compare with a related silk fan case, part of a complete set for a high-ranking official, illustrated by V.Garret, Chinese Dress: From the Qing Dynasty to the Present, Claredon, VT, 2008, pp.89-91. Also compare the bats depicted on one of these fan cases with the designs depicted on a silk drawstring purse, late 19th century, illustrated by J.Vollmer, Imperial Silks. Ch'ing Dynasty Textiles from the Minneapolis Institute of arts, Minneapolis, MA, 2000, p.363.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 296
A RARE PAIR OF COPPER-RED-DECORATED 'FIVE BATS' BOWLSYongzheng six-character marks and of the periodEach finely potted with deep curving sides rising from a straight foot to a gently flared rim, the exterior painted with four bats swooping and soaring in copper-red silhouettes, the intensity of the red subtly shifting from deep crimson to a pale pinkish-gray at the wing tips, all on a white ground, the interiors each with a further bat in flight. Each 15.5cm (6 1/8in) diam. (2).Footnotes:清雍正 釉裏紅五蝠紋盌一對「大清雍正年製」楷書款Provenance: Sotheby's New York, 12 September 2018, lot 142A UK private collection來源：紐約蘇富比，2018年9月12日，拍品編號142英國私人收藏The five bats, wufu, are a homophone for the 'Five Blessings', which are long life, wealth, health, love of virtue and a good end to one's life. The pattern was one of the designs on porcelain supplied to the Court listed in 1729 by Tang Ying, director of the Imperial porcelain factory active during the Yongzheng and Qianlong reigns, and translated by S.Bushell in Oriental Ceramic Art, London, 1981, p.198.Designs created through red-glaze silhouettes originated however in the early Ming dynasty and are best known from the Xuande period, but the technique had already been developed during the preceding Yongle reign, when silhouettes of animals and fish were used in combination with underglaze-blue designs; for an example excavated from the late Yongle stratum of the Ming Imperial kiln site, see Imperial Porcelain of the Yongle and Xuande Periods Excavated from the Site of the Ming Imperial Factory at Jingdezhen, Hong Kong, 1989, no.38, and see also a Xuande period example recovered from the Xuande stratum of the Ming Imperial kiln site at Jingdezhen and included in Xuande Imperial Porcelain Excavated at Jingdezhen, Taipei, 1998, nos.101-102.Notoriously difficult to achieve, copper-red glazes had been largely abandoned at Jingdezhen since the early Ming dynasty and were revived during the Kangxi reign. Research by Peter Lam and other leading scholars indicates that the inspiration to start using again the celebrated but technically challenging pigment occurred during the early years of the Kangxi period under the direction of Zang Yingxuan, who was sent to Jingdezhen in 1681 to oversee the rebuilding of the kilns and serve as Imperial supervisor. It was in these early years of the Qing dynasty that a series of copper-red mythical beasts appeared, their abstracted rich red forms boldly contrasting with a white porcelain body covered with a pale blue-tinged transparent glaze.By the Yongzheng period, the technique had been perfected and achieved its finest form of expression with the crimson-red-glaze silhouettes of fish, pomegranates and most rare of all, bats, appearing on bowls, stem bowls and dishes, and bearing Imperial reign marks. This silhouette technique, which makes use of the copper-red glaze, possibly sandwiched between layers of clear glaze, is different from the more common method of painting designs in copper-red pigment directly onto the body before the glaze is applied. The present technique, if successfully handled, results in intensely red designs which do not allow for the rendering of detail and are best suited for silhouettes.A very similar bowl with five bats, Yongzheng six-character mark and of the period, is illustrated in The Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003, p.116. A similar pair, in the Malcolm McDonald Collection, Oriental Museum, Durham University is illustrated by Ireneus László Legeza, A Descriptive and Illustrated Catalogue of the Malcolm McDonald Collection of Chinese Ceramics in the Gulbenkian Museum of Oriental Art and Archaeology School of Oriental Studies University of Durham, London, 1972, pl.LXXVIII, nos.218-219. Another similar example is illustrated by B.Gyllensvärd, Chinese Ceramics in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1964, pl.788.Compare with a similar underglaze copper-red-decorated 'bats' bowl, Yongzheng six-character mark and of the period, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3527.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 320
A rare pair of Imperial white and spinach-green jade and cloisonné enamel 'Shou Characters' screensQianlong The jade rectangular plaques of pale white tone, each inscribed with 60 Shou characters in zhuanshu calligraphy and decorated with gilt, the reverse with pomegranates, butterflies, and narcissus, the other with lotus and a pair of Mandarin ducks, each encased in a cloisonné enamel frame with diaper pattern, supported on a zitan wood stand with spinach-green jade spandrels and shaped apron. Each 24.1cm (9 1/2in) high. (4).Footnotes:清乾隆 御製紫檀嵌碧玉座框銅胎掐絲琺瑯鑲白玉雕壽字紋硯屏一對Provenance: Sir John William Buchanan-Jardine, 3rd Baronet (1900-1969), LondonSpink & Son Ltd., LondonAn English private collection, with one of the pair of screens acquired from the above on 30 November 1954 (to join the pair to it which was previously separated), and thence by descentExhibited and Published: Royal Academy of Arts, International Exhibition of Chinese Art 1935-6, London, 1935, p.245, no.2859Captain Sir John W. Buchanan-Jardine became, like his family predecessors, the Chairman of Jardine, Matheson & Co. He was among the largest lenders to the Royal Academy of Arts International Exhibition of Chinese Art in Burlington House in 1935-36, his loan including the present pair of screens. The Exhibition remains the most important exhibition of Chinese Art ever held in Europe.來源：倫敦第三代John William Buchanan-Jardine男爵（1900-1969）舊藏倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.英國私人收藏，其一於1954年11月30日購自上者（將兩屏合為一對），並由後人保存迄今展覽著錄：皇家藝術學院，《中國藝術國際展覽會》，倫敦，1935年，頁245，編號2859John W. Buchanan-Jardine男爵，如他的家族前輩一樣，曾為怡和洋行（原名渣甸洋行）董事長。同時，他也是1935-36年於英國皇家藝術學院伯靈頓宮舉辦的「中國藝術國際展覽會」最大的借展方之一，並借展了本對硯屏。該展覽仍為歐洲迄今最為重要的中國藝術展覽。The present lot has sixty Shou (壽) characters on each screen. It is likely therefore, that it was made for the occasion of the Qianlong Emperor's 60th birthday celebration (held on the 1st month of the 35th year of his reign, approximately 1770). The motif of numerous Shou characters (meaning 'longevity') is common for birthday celebrations and appeared as early as the Kangxi reign. See a massive blue and white 'Ten thousand Shou vase, which bears 9,999 Shou characters and one wan character, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (III), Hong Kong, 2002, pp.8-9, no.5.See a single related incised celadon jade and lacquer 'longevity' table screen, 18th century, which was sold at Sotheby's Paris, 10 June 2021, lot 101.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 330
A BLUE AND WHITE HEXAGONAL VASE, HUQianlong seal mark, late Qing DynastyThe facetted vase decorated around the shoulder and body with two bands of composite floral scrolls bearing large blooms below a broad band of waves, flanked by two lug handles decorated with S-scrolls, the mouth and foot with key-fret borders. 44cm (17 1/4) high.Footnotes:清晚期 青花纏枝花卉紋雙耳大壺青花「大清乾隆年製」篆書款Provenance: an Italian private collection來源：意大利私人收藏Compare with a very similar earlier blue and white hexagonal vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, illustrated in The Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003, p.236. Another related blue and white example, Yongzheng six-character mark and of the period, is illustrated in The Palace Museum's Collection of Blue and White Porcelains from Yongzheng Period of Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2017, no.137.A similar blue and white hexagonal vase, Qianglong seal mark, 19th century, was sold at Oger-Blanchet, Paris, 19 December 2018, lot 105.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 340
A famille rose figure of a female immortal18th century Finely modelled standing, dressed in layered robes with long sleeves painted with medallion motifs against a light yellow and pink ground, draped with a shawl finely decorated with scrolling foliage on her shoulder, her left arm slightly raised and holding a peach, the face with gentle expression and hair neatly tied into a high chignon bun. 28.5cm (11 1/4in) high.Footnotes:十八世紀 粉彩仕女立像Compare with a related but larger famille rose standing figure of a 'Chinese lady', circa 1740-1750, illustrated by D.Howard and J.Ayers, China for the West: Chinese Porcelain and other Decorative Arts for Export illustrated from the Mottahedeh Collection, vol. II, London and New York, 1978, p.613, no.642.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 95
A FAMILLE ROSE FIGURE OF GUANYIN18th centuryThe Goddess of Mercy finely modelled seated with her right leg raised, her left arm holding a scroll resting upon her right hand, the face with serene expression beneath a high chignon bun draped with a shawl, clad in loose flowing robes finely decorated with lotus sprays and foliate scroll work, open at the chest revealing beaded jewellery, with hardwood stand. 24cm (9 1/2in) high. (2).Footnotes:十八世紀 粉彩觀音坐像Provenance:Captain Charles Oswald Liddell (1854-1941)Bluett & Sons Ltd., LondonE. A. Parry (1879-1946), London, acquired from the above on 12 June 1929, and thence by descentPublished and Exhibited: Bluett and Sons Ltd, The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain, London, June 1929, p.15, no.137.來源：Charles Oswald Liddell上尉（1854-1941）倫敦古董商Bluett & Sons Ltd.倫敦E. A. Parry（1879-1946）舊藏，於1929年6月12日購自上者，並由後人保存迄今展覽著錄：Bluett & Sons Ltd.，《Liddell收藏中國瓷器（The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain）》，倫敦，1929年6月，頁15，編號137Captain Charles Oswald Liddell (1854-1941) was born in 1851 in Edinburgh. Having moved to China for family business, he worked there from 1877-1913. He married Elizabeth Birt in 1880 in the Anglican Cathedral in Shanghai, and thereby inherited Birt's Wharf there, expanding the business to Hangzhou, Tianjin and Harbin. He was joined by his brother John when the firm became known as Liddell Bros. In 1915 Liddell was Quartermaster and Hon. Captain in the 1st Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment, having served previously (and more adventurously) in the 'Shanghai Light Horse'. Liddell collaborated with A.W.Bahr in an exhibition in Shanghai in 1908 (he was Chairman of the North China branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, and in writing descriptions for it which were printed by A.W.Bahr, Old Chinese Porcelain and Works of Art in China, 1911. Charles Liddell had formed his collection, except for three pieces, while trading in China for nearly forty years. He purchased a number of them from two significant sources: the collection of Prince Chun, the last Regent of the Qing dynasty; and from the collection of the private secretary and adviser to Li Hongzhang. In May-June 1929 Bluett's offered part of the collection for sale, publishing a catalogue of The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain with 229 entries and eight illustrative plates, one of them unusually in colour.A related but larger famille rose figure of Guanyin on a separate lotus stand, Qianlong, was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 29 April 2002, lot 705. see also a closely related famille rose figure of Guanyin on a lotus base, Qianlong, in Clandon Park, Surrey (acc.no.NT1440426.1).利德爾上尉（Captain Charles Oswald Liddell），1854年生於愛丁堡。1877年移居中國，並為其家族企業一直在華工作至 1913年。1880年，他與Elizabeth Birt在上海聖公會大教堂舉行婚禮，隨後接手了Birt家族在上海的平和碼頭，並將業務擴展到杭州、天津和哈爾濱等地。平和洋行的英文商號在其弟John加入後改為Liddell Bros。利德爾曾服役於上海英租界輕騎隊，並於1915年任蒙默思郡團一營軍需長官和榮譽上尉。1908年，利德爾與巴爾（A.W.Bahr，時任皇家亞洲學會華北分會秘書）合作於上海舉辦展覽，巴爾將展覽描述集結成《中國古瓷美術譜（Old Chinese Porcelain and Works of Art in China）》並於1911年出版。利德爾的藏品，除其中三件以外，全數在其在華經商的近四十年間入藏；其中一大部分來自兩個重要渠道：清朝末代攝政王醇親王載灃的藏品，以及李鴻章的私人秘書兼顧問的收藏。1929年5月至6月期間，倫敦古董商Bluett's出售了利德爾的部分藏品，並出版了《利德爾收藏中國瓷器（The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain）》圖錄，收錄了共計229件藏品並附8張插圖，其中甚至包含一幅頗不尋常的彩色插圖。參考一件較此例稍大的清乾隆粉彩觀音像，坐於粉彩蓮座之上，售於香港佳士得，2002年4月29日，拍品編號705。英國國家名勝古蹟信託會員之薩里郡克蘭頓公園公館亦收藏一例清乾隆粉彩觀音像，藏品編號NT1440426.1，可為比對。This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 23
A RARE FAMILLE VERTE 'PEONY BLOSSOM' MONTH CUPKangxi six-character mark and of the periodThe delicately-potted vessel rising to a gently flaring rim, painted to represent the fourth month with variously coloured flowering tree peony amongst blue pierced rockwork, the reverse with a poetic inscription: Xiao yan yuan fen jin zhang lu. Mu xiang shen re yu tang feng, 'At dawn its beauty receives dew from a golden palm. In the evening the fragrance penetrates deep into the Jade Hall'. 4.9cm (1 7/8in) high.Footnotes:清康熙 五彩「牡丹」花神盃青花「大清康熙年製」楷書款Provenance:Captain Charles Oswald Liddell (1854-1941)Bluett & Sons Ltd., LondonE. A. Parry (1879-1946), London, acquired from the above on 12 June 1929, and thence by descentPublished and Exhibited: Bluett & Sons Ltd., The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain, London, June 1929, p.11, no.100 or 101.Captain Charles Oswald Liddell was born in 1851 in Edinburgh. Having moved to China for family business, he worked there from 1877-1913. He married Elizabeth Birt in 1880 in the Anglican Cathedral in Shanghai, and thereby inherited Birt's Wharf there, expanding the business to Hangzhou, Tianjin and Harbin. He was joined by his brother John when the firm became known as Liddell Bros. In 1915 Liddell was Quartermaster and Hon. Captain in the 1st Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment, having served previously (and more adventurously) in the 'Shanghai Light Horse'. Liddell collaborated with A.W.Bahr in an exhibition in Shanghai in 1908 (he was Chairman of the North China branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, and in writing descriptions for it which were printed by A.W.Bahr, Old Chinese Porcelain and Works of Art in China, 1911. Charles Liddell had formed his collection, except for three pieces, while trading in China for nearly forty years. He purchased a number of them from two significant sources: the collection of Prince Chun, the last Regent of the Qing dynasty; and from the collection of the private secretary and adviser to Li Hongzhang. In May-June 1929 Bluett's offered part of the collection for sale, publishing a catalogue of The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain with 229 entries and eight illustrative plates, one of them unusually in colour.來源：Charles Oswald Liddell上尉（1854-1941）舊藏倫敦古董商Bluett & Sons Ltd.倫敦E. A. Parry（1879-1946）舊藏，於1929年6月12日購自上者，並由後人保存迄今展覽著錄：Bluett & Sons Ltd.，《Liddell收藏中國瓷器（The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain）》，倫敦，1929年6月，頁11，編號100或101利德爾上尉（Captain Charles Oswald Liddell），1854年生於愛丁堡。1877年移居中國，並為其家族企業一直在華工作至1913年。1880年，他與Elizabeth Birt在上海聖公會大教堂舉行婚禮，隨後接手了Birt家族在上海的平和碼頭，並將業務擴展到杭州、天津和哈爾濱等地。平和洋行的英文商號在其弟John加入後改為Liddell Bros。利德爾曾服役於上海英租界輕騎隊，並於1915年任蒙默思郡團一營軍需長官和榮譽上尉。1908年，利德爾與巴爾（A.W.Bahr，時任皇家亞洲學會華北分會秘書）合作於上海舉辦展覽，巴爾將展覽描述集結成《中國古瓷美術譜（Old Chinese Porcelain and Works of Art in China）》並於1911年出版。利德爾的藏品，除其中三件以外，全數在其在華經商的近四十年間入藏；其中一大部分來自兩個重要渠道：清朝末代攝政王醇親王載灃的藏品，以及李鴻章的私人秘書兼顧問的收藏。1929年5月至6月期間，倫敦古董商Bluett's出售了利德爾的部分藏品，並出版了《利德爾收藏中國瓷器（The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain）》圖錄，收錄了共計229件藏品並附8張插圖，其中甚至包含一幅頗不尋常的彩色插圖。Very delicately potted, 'Month cups' were painted in the fine wucai palette of underglaze blue and overglaze enamels, which was devised during the Ming dynasty, but rarely used during the Qing dynasty, when the underglaze colour was generally omitted. 'Month cups' were made at the Imperial kilns during the Kangxi reign. A different cup was made for each month of the lunar calendar. Underglaze-blue designs were usually painted on the unglazed body. These cups were so thinly potted that the cobalt blue decoration on their exterior can be seen through the eggshell porcelain from the interior of the vessel. Slight differences in size, colours, calligraphic styles and even marks between the individual cups suggest that they may not even have originally been conceived as sets of twelve, rather, they could have been issued consecutively, as the year evolved, to be finally assembled as a set at the end. The poems inscribed on the 'Month cups' are all couplets from Tang dynasty poems. The Kangxi Emperor greatly admired Tang poems as demonstrated in ordering the compilation of all recorded Tang poems in 1705, on the 44th year of his reign. This project came into fruition under the leadership of the official Cao Yin, when the 'Complete Collection of Tang Poems' Quan Tangshu was published in 1706, including over 40,000 poems and a foreword written by the Kangxi Emperor himself; see R.Scott, For the Imperial Court. Qing Porcelain from the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, New York, 1997, pp.82-83. It is thus likely that these delicate 'Month cups', decorated with poems favoured by the Emperor, were made during the later period of the Kangxi reign, when... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 21
A VERY RARE FAMILLE VERTE 'LOTUS' MONTH CUPKangxi six-character mark and of the periodThe finely potted vessel rising to a gently flaring rim, decorated to represent the sixth month with a pair of Mandarin ducks swimming in a lotus pond, with a kingfisher in flight above, the reverse with a poetic inscription: Gen shi ni zhong yu. Xin cheng lu xia zhu, 'The roots are like jade gleaming in the mud. The hearts contain pearls when dew has descended'. 4.9cm (1 8/9in) high.Footnotes:清康熙 五彩「荷花」花神盃青花「大清康熙年製」楷書款Provenance:Captain Charles Oswald Liddell (1854-1941)Bluett & Sons Ltd., LondonE. A. Parry (1879-1946), London, acquired from the above on 12 June 1929, and thence by descentPublished and Exhibited: Bluett & Sons Ltd., The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain, London, June 1929, p.11, no.100 or 101.Captain Charles Oswald Liddell (1854-1941) was born in 1851 in Edinburgh. Having moved to China for family business, he worked there from 1877-1913. He married Elizabeth Birt in 1880 in the Anglican Cathedral in Shanghai, and thereby inherited Birt's Wharf there, expanding the business to Hangzhou, Tianjin and Harbin. He was joined by his brother John when the firm became known as Liddell Bros. In 1915 Liddell was Quartermaster and Hon. Captain in the 1st Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment, having served previously (and more adventurously) in the 'Shanghai Light Horse'. Liddell collaborated with A.W.Bahr in an exhibition in Shanghai in 1908 (he was Chairman of the North China branch of the Royal Asiatic Society), and in writing descriptions for it which were printed by A.W.Bahr, Old Chinese Porcelain and Works of Art in China, 1911. Charles Liddell had formed his collection, except for three pieces, while trading in China for nearly forty years. He purchased a number of them from two significant sources: the collection of Prince Chun, the last Regent of the Qing dynasty; and from the collection of the private secretary and adviser to Li Hongzhang. In May-June 1929 Bluett offered part of the collection for sale, publishing a catalogue of The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain with 229 entries and eight illustrative plates, one of them unusually in colour.來源：Charles Oswald Liddell上尉（1854-1941）舊藏倫敦古董商Bluett & Sons Ltd.倫敦E. A. Parry（1879-1946）舊藏，於1929年6月12日購自上者，並由後人保存迄今展覽著錄：Bluett & Sons Ltd.，《Liddell收藏中國瓷器（The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain）》，倫敦，1929年6月，頁11，編號100或101利德爾上尉（Captain Charles Oswald Liddell），1854年生於愛丁堡。1877年移居中國，並為其家族企業一直在華工作至1913年。1880年，他與Elizabeth Birt在上海聖公會大教堂舉行婚禮，隨後接手了Birt家族在上海的平和碼頭，並將業務擴展到杭州、天津和哈爾濱等地。平和洋行的英文商號在其弟John加入後改為Liddell Bros。利德爾曾服役於上海英租界輕騎隊，並於1915年任蒙默思郡團一營軍需長官和榮譽上尉。1908年，利德爾與巴爾（A.W.Bahr，時任皇家亞洲學會華北分會秘書）合作於上海舉辦展覽，巴爾將展覽描述集結成《中國古瓷美術譜（Old Chinese Porcelain and Works of Art in China）》並於1911年出版。利德爾的藏品，除其中三件以外，全數在其在華經商的近四十年間入藏；其中一大部分來自兩個重要渠道：清朝末代攝政王醇親王載灃的藏品，以及李鴻章的私人秘書兼顧問的收藏。1929年5月至6月期間，倫敦古董商Bluett's出售了利德爾的部分藏品，並出版了《利德爾收藏中國瓷器（The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain）》圖錄，收錄了共計229件藏品並附8張插圖，其中甚至包含一幅頗不尋常的彩色插圖。Delicately potted porcelain cups, such as the present example, were known as 'Month cups' and were made at the Imperial kilns during the Kangxi reign. These vessels were painted in underglaze-blue and overglaze famille verte enamels in wucai style depicting individual flowers that designated each of the twelve months of the year. The design format of these cups, incorporating a pictorial composition on one side and a poetic inscription ending in a seal mark on the other, was inspired by the long tradition in classical painting and was an innovation of the Kangxi period. The poems inscribed on the 'Month cups' are all couplets from Tang dynasty poems. The Kangxi Emperor greatly admired Tang poems as demonstrated in ordering the compilation of all recorded Tang poems in 1705, on the 44th year of his reign. This project came into fruition under the leadership of the official Cao Yin, when the 'Complete Collection of Tang Poems' Quan Tangshu was published in 1706, including over 40,000 poems and a foreword written by the Kangxi Emperor himself; see R.Scott, For the Imperial Court. Qing Porcelain from the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, New York, 1997, pp.82-83. It is thus likely that these delicate 'Month cups', decorated with poems favoured by the Emperor, were made during the later period of the Kangxi reign, when the compendium of Tang poetry was published.The twelve flowers painted on the 'Month cups' were selected following the traditions of the Flower Festival, which fell on the 15th day of the second month in the Chinese calendar, signifying the arrival of springtime and celebrated the birthday of all flowers. The Flower Festival was highly popular du... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 43
A PAIR OF FAMILLE ROSE 'DRAGON' BOWLS AND COVERSYongzheng six-character marks and of the period, with probably later covers and enamelsThe flaring conical bowls and domed covers brightly decorated in polychrome enamels with animated serpentine five-clawed dragons emerging from crashing waves, each in pursuit of a flaming pearl amongst clustered cloud scrolls, each with an underglaze-blue Yongzheng six-character mark. Each 20.5cm (8in) diam. (4).Footnotes:清雍正 粉彩雲龍紋蓋盌一對 盌蓋及釉彩或較晚青花「大清雍正年製」楷書款Provenance: Captain Charles Oswald Liddell (1854-1941)Bluett & Sons Ltd., LondonE. A. Parry (1879-1946), London, acquired from the above on 12 June 1929, and thence by descentPublished and Exhibited: Bluett & Sons Ltd., The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain, London, June 1929, p.22, no.196.來源：Charles Oswald Liddell上尉（1854-1941）舊藏倫敦古董商Bluett & Sons Ltd.倫敦E. A. Parry（1879-1946）舊藏，於1929年6月12日購自上者，並由後人保存迄今展覽著錄：Bluett & Sons Ltd，《Liddell收藏中國瓷器（The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain）》，倫敦，1929年6月，頁22，編號196Captain Charles Oswald Liddell was born in 1851 in Edinburgh. Having moved to China for family business, he worked there from 1877-1913. He married Elizabeth Birt in 1880 in the Anglican Cathedral in Shanghai, and thereby inherited Birt's Wharf there, expanding the business to Hangzhou, Tianjin and Harbin. He was joined by his brother John when the firm became known as Liddell Bros. In 1915 Liddell was Quartermaster and Hon. Captain in the 1st Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment, having served previously (and more adventurously) in the 'Shanghai Light Horse'. Liddell collaborated with A.W.Bahr in an exhibition in Shanghai in 1908 (he was Chairman of the North China branch of the Royal Asiatic Society), and in writing descriptions for it which were printed by A.W.Bahr, Old Chinese Porcelain and Works of Art in China, 1911. Charles Liddell had formed his collection, except for three pieces, while trading in China for nearly forty years. He purchased a number of them from two significant sources: the collection of Prince Chun, the last Regent of the Qing dynasty; and from the collection of the private secretary and adviser to Li Hongzhang. In May-June 1929 Bluett's offered part of the collection for sale, publishing a catalogue of The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain with 229 entries and eight illustrative plates, one of them unusually in colour.The shape of the present pair of bowls is particular to the Yongzheng period, and they are almost always exclusively decorated with dragons. A pair of doucai bowls and covers of this pattern, Yongzheng mark and period, in the Qing Court Collection, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Porcelains in Polychrome and Contrasting Colours, Hong Kong, 1999, no.230; see also an illustrated diagram of the shape in Ming Qing ciqi jianding, Beijing, 1993, p.242, pl.414, no.13. See a similar pair of bowls and covers decorated with dragons in doucai, Yongzheng six-character marks and of the period, illustrated in Qing Imperial Porcelain of the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong Reigns, Hong Kong, 1995, no.52. See also another related bowl and cover with doucai decoration of dragons and clouds, Yongzheng six-character mark and of the period, illustrated in The Tsui Museum of Art: Chinese Ceramics IV, Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1995, no.129.Compare with a pair of doucai conical dragon bowls and covers, Yongzheng six-character marks and of the period, which were sold at Christie's London, 5 November 2019, lot 173.利德爾上尉（Captain Charles Oswald Liddell），1854年生於愛丁堡。1877年移居中國，並為其家族企業一直在華工作至 1913年。1880年，他與Elizabeth Birt在上海聖公會大教堂舉行婚禮，隨後接手了Birt家族在上海的平和碼頭，並將業務擴展到杭州、天津和哈爾濱等地。平和洋行的英文商號在其弟John加入後改為Liddell Bros。利德爾曾服役於上海英租界輕騎隊，並於1915年任蒙默思郡團一營軍需長官和榮譽上尉。1908年，利德爾與巴爾（A.W.Bahr，時任皇家亞洲學會華北分會秘書）合作於上海舉辦展覽，巴爾將展覽描述集結成《中國古瓷美術譜（Old Chinese Porcelain and Works of Art in China）》並於1911年出版。利德爾的藏品，除其中三件以外，全數在其在華經商的近四十年間入藏；其中一大部分來自兩個重要渠道：清朝末代攝政王醇親王載灃的藏品，以及李鴻章的私人秘書兼顧問的收藏。1929年5月至6月期間，倫敦古董商Bluett's出售了利德爾的部分藏品，並出版了《利德爾收藏中國瓷器（The Liddell Collection of Old Chinese Porcelain）》圖錄，收錄了共計229件藏品並附8張插圖，其中甚至包含一幅頗不尋常的彩色插圖。盌身及蓋均呈斗笠形，高圈足，口沿呈六瓣花形，蓋鈕形同盌足做成圈足狀，此式蓋盌僅見於雍正一朝。北京故宮博物院藏清雍正鬥彩雲龍紋蓋盌一對... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 46
A VERY RARE PAIR OF IMPERIAL INSCRIBED CINNABAR LACQUER CARVED TEA BOWLSQianlong seal marks and of the period, the inscription dated Bingyin year, corresponding to 1746Each vessel with deep rounded sides rising from a straight foot to a gently flaring rim, carved to the exterior through layers of cinnabar lacquer to a black diaper-pattern ground with an Imperial poem, 'Three-Purity Tea,' Sanqing Cha, dated to the Bingyin year (corresponding to 1746) followed by the seals Qian and Long, all between two borders of ruyi designs encircling the rim and foot, against matching leiwen grounds around the foot and rim, the red-lacquered base intaglio-carved with a six-character seal mark within a recessed square, the interior lacquered brown. Each 11cm (4 3/8in) diam. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 御製剔紅御題詩三清茶盌一對 「大清乾隆年製」、「乾隆丙寅小春御題」款 「乾」、「隆」印Provenance:Parry Collection, London, and thence by descent來源：倫敦Parry家族收藏，並由後人保存迄今The present pair of tea bowls was part of a tea set used by the Qianlong Emperor at tea ceremonies held during New Year celebrations. The vessels are both inscribed with one of his favourite poems, Sanqing cha ('Three-Purity Tea'), which he wrote during the Bingyin year (1746), on the occasion of his 36th birthday while sipping tea in his studio on a cold winter's day. The poem refers to the tea made from plum blossoms, finger citron and pine nut kernels, which was offered to the Emperor during his visit to the sacred mountain Wutai. When brewed together in snow water, these three ingredients gave the tea a unique flavour and purity. The poem further describes the virtues of tea making and drinking, which reminded one of the Buddhist values of simplicity, austerity and purity. As a consummate connoisseur, The Qianlong Emperor combined art and tea at intimate gatherings within the Palace walls. A party hosted by the Emperor was a remarkable experience, an aesthetic convergence of artwork and tea leaf. The Qianlong Emperor brewed and tasted tea using the finest objects in the Palace Collection, a great treasure of implements and wares dating back to the eleventh century. During a gathering, the talk flowed from the age and glaze of a tea vessel to the specific number of buds and leaves plucked for a particular tea. Brewed and served, the tea itself was appreciated for its hue, scent and flavour, prompting a new yet leisurely stream of comments and observations. On the occasion of the New Year celebrations, the Emperor held a tea-drinking banquet in the Palace of Cherished Glory, Chonghua Gong, in the Forbidden City, where he asked his guests to compose poetry, and as a token of his appreciation, he rewarded the best poet with a 'Sanqingcha' bowl.The famous poem is recorded in the 'Anthology of Imperial Qianlong poems and prose' Qing gaozong yuzhi shiwen quanji, 'Imperial Poems' Yuzhi shiwen chuji, vol.1, chapter 36, p.17, and may be translated as:The plum blossom in appearance not ostentatious,The finger citron, scented and fresh, Pine nuts of most fragrant aroma,Three ingredients of outstanding purity.An infusion is brewed in a shallow tripod vessel,And the ingredients steeped in snow-water collected in a bamboo casket.After coming to a boil, bubbles like the eyes of fish or crabs can be seen in the surface of the water,Steam rises from the tripod appearing to alternate between Utpadanirodha birth and death. Teacups from the kilns of Yue sprinkled with Immortals' milk,The warmth of my yurt is agreeable to the joy of the mystic trance.The five Buddhist Skanda purify the greater part of all things,Spiritual awakening may occur but cannot be spoken of.The sweet smelling ingredients are dealt with and suitably delivered,Silky smooth the Immortals' wine, clear and limpid. Wo Quan's offering may be eaten.Lin Bu can admire the change of seasons.Nonchalantly the Koan of the Zhaozhou monk may be uttered,And the eccentricity of Yu Chuanzi laughed at heartily. On a cold night in winter, listening to the sound of the water clock,From the Guyue Studio I observe the moon, hanging in the sky like a jade archer's ring. I take advantage of what remains to drink my fill,And chant deliberately so that I might arise without exhaustion. Composed by the Emperor in the tenth lunar month of the Bingyin year [corresponding to 1746] during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor. The poem contains numerous literary and Buddhist allusions. The Manchu Imperial family were followers of the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism but much of the terminology used - to fit with Chinese poetic practice - relates to Chan Buddhism. Wo Quan was a mythical being who lived in the mountains, where he collected herbs for his own sustenance. He was particularly fond of pine nuts and was said to have presented some as a gift to the legendary Emperor Yao. Yao, however, did not eat them, and so missed out on their long life-giving properties. The Qianlong Emperor implies in the poem that, unlike the legendary Emperor Yao, he would not have hesitated. Another reference in the poem is made to 'the Monk of Zhaozhou'. This was Congshen (778-897), a Tang dynasty Chan Buddhist monk. In Chan Buddhism, a koan is a question, story or statement which may appear contradictory but after greater meditation upon, can lead to enlightenment. The koan of the Monk of Zhaozhou refers to the following story: when two monks visited Congshen, he asked if they had visited this temple before. When the first said yes, Consghen invited him to drink tea; when the second said no, Congshen also invited him to drink tea. When asked by the head monk why he had asked this seemingly pointless question, Congshen also invited him to drink tea. The reference echoes the Qianlong Emperor's enlightened generosity in hosting tea parties with his ministers. Compare with a very similar carved lacquer bowl, with the same poem, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, in the Qing Court Collection in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Emperor's Private Paradise: Treasures from the Forbidden City, New Haven and London, 2011, no.57. For a similar pair of lacquer bowls also carved with the Qianlong Emperor's poem Sanqing cha ('Three Purity Tea'), see a pair in the Tianjin Municipal Art Museum, illustrated in The Complete Series of Chinese Lacquer Zhongguo qiqi quanji, vol.6, Fuzhou, 1993, pl.211; and see another example in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, which is illustrated by H.Garner, Chinese Lacquer, London, 1979, pl.93. Bowls inscribed with the Sanqing Cha poem were also produced in porcelain; see a blue and white bowl, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, illustrated in Special exhibition of K'ang-hsi, Yung-cheng and Ch'ien-lung Porcelain Ware from the Ch'ing Dynasty in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1986, no.142; see also an iron-red example, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, also in the National Palace Museum, illustrated in Empty Vessels, Replenished Minds: the Culture, Practice, and Art of Tea, Taipei, 2002, no.129. Two further iron-red bowls, Qianlong seal mark and period, are illustrated in Late Chinese Imperial Porcelain, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 1980, no.1.See a single very similar lacquer tea bowl with the same poem, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 2 December 2015, lot 3163. See also a similar pair of Imperial inscribed cinnabar lacquer tea bowls, Qianlong mark and period, which were sold at Sotheby's Hong Ko... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 59
AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE IMPERIAL RED LACQUER INSCRIBED CHRYSANTHEMUM-SHAPED BOWL AND COVERQianlong seal marks and of the period, the inscription dated Spring 1776The wide elegant body supported on a spreading circular foot and curving upwards to a gently-flared rim, the domed cover with a circular knop, decorated overall with raised vertical petals, all lacquered in brilliant vermillion, the tip of the cover and the base of the bowl each with a gilt four-character Imperial zhuanshu seal mark, the central interior cartouches lacquered black and each gilt with a dated kaishu inscription. 10.6cm (4 1/8in) diam. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆四十一年 御製脫胎朱漆御題詩菊瓣式蓋盌 「乾隆年製」、「乾隆丙申春御題」篆書款Provenance:Spink & Son Ltd., London,Mrs E. A. Parry (1879-1977), London, acquired from the above on 30 June 1933, and thence by descentPublished, Illustrated and Exhibited: Royal Academy of Arts, International Exhibition of Chinese Art, London, 1935-1936, p.252, no.2957.來源：倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.倫敦E. A. Parry夫人（1879-1977）舊藏，於1933年6月30日購自上者，並由後人保存迄今展覽著錄：皇家藝術學院，《中國藝術國際展覽會》，倫敦，1935-1936年，頁252，編號2957The present lot was exhibited in one of the most historic and prestigious exhibitions of Chinese art ever held. The exhibition's importance is reflected by its patrons who not only included King George V and Queen Mary, but also the President of the Chinese Republic. The committee of honour included luminaries such as Hu Shi and Cai Yuanpei; and the executive committee counted among its members renowned collectors and scholars such as R.L.Hobson, George Eumorfopoulos and Sir Percival David. With 3077 exhibits, it was not only one of the largest exhibitions of Chinese art, but many of the exhibits, including rare objects from the Palace Museum were seen in Europe for the first time. In this extraordinary exhibition, the present lot was amongst the very few Imperial Qianlong period lacquer wares chosen to be included, alongside a red lacquer 'chrysanthemum' dish, Qianlong mark and of the period, inscribed with an Imperial poem, lent by Sir Percival David, who was the Director of the Exhibition Committee.Compare with an identical lacquer chrysanthemum-shaped tea bowl and cover, also gilt decorated with two Qianlong seal marks and an inscribed Imperial poem, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty: The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 2006, pp.215, no.164. See also another identical bowl in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, gifted by Sir Harry Garner, illustrated by H.Garner, Chinese Lacquer, London-Boston, p.150, pl.97.The present bowl and cover were made by Imperial commission by artisans in Suzhou specialising in the 'hollow dry-lacquer' technique, with the inscriptions then carved in the Imperial Workshop in Beijing. With remarkably thin and delicate walls, the 'chrysanthemum' petals of the cover perfectly fit the fluted bowl, representing the highest quality of Qing Imperial lacquer craftsmanship. The interior of the bowl and the cover both have a gilt inscription of a poem by the Qianlong Emperor, dated 1776 which compares the vessel to a chrysanthemum flower. The poems may be translated as follows: 'It is made in the form of a fragrant chrysanthemum,And yet it is even more delicate,Drinking tea from it may be likened to sipping dew,from a newly plucked blossom.Imperially inscribed in the Spring of the Bingshen year of the Qianlong reign'.The Qianlong Emperor's poem likens drinking tea from this cup to drinking dew from a chrysanthemum: a fairy-like experience reserved for poets, Immortals and sages. The chrysanthemum was long associated with the poet Tao Yuanming (365-427) who lived during the turbulent transition between the Jin and Liu Song dynasties. To escape the political turmoil, he retired in midlife to a small estate to live out his days in rustic obscurity, drinking wine and writing poetry. Private and quiet as his life was, Tao's reputation grew steadily after his death, particularly for his associations with chrysanthemums, which he grew in a small patch by the eastern fence of his retirement estate; see S.Nelson, 'Revisiting the Eastern Fence: Tao Qian's Chrysanthemums', The Art Bulletin, 2001, vol.83, no.3, pp.437-460. The chrysanthemum, an autumnal flower, together with Tao's poetry of retirement, came to encapsulate the eremitic ideal of the scholar returning to nature for quiet contemplation. Over time, the chrysanthemum, together with the bamboo, orchid and prunus was regarded as one of the 'Four Gentlemanly Flowers': flowers that represented Confucian ideals to be emulated by true gentlemen. As such, the chrysanthemum flower provided much inspiration to artists and craftsmen from as early as the Song dynasty. Bowls and vessels decorated with chrysanthemum motifs were traditional gifts bestowed at Imperial celebrations, particularly during the Double Ninth festival (occurring on the ninth day of the ninth month) or Double Yang festival, where it was customary to climb a high mountain, drink chrysanthemum liquor and wear chrysanthemum flowers. Chrysanthemums were considered to have cleansing qualities and were used in medicine to cure illness and thus were also emblematic of longevity and fertility, because of the multitude of their petals. Chrysanthemums appear to have been popular motifs decorating vessels produced during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, and because of the flowers' association with longevity, it is possible that the Emperor took an increasing interest in the motif as he approached retirement. See also a red lacquer chrysanthemum-shaped box and cover, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, with gilt poetic inscription, from the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2006, p.216, no.165.The Qianlong Emperor's enthusiasm for the chrysanthemum motif may also have been inspired by a powerful predecessor of his, the Yongle Emperor. On a red lacquer 'chrysanthemum' dish, Qianlong mark and of the period, illustrated by J.Ayers, Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, London, 2016, vol.III, p.848, no.1954, there is a poem dated 1774, the title of which is 'In praise of a chrysanthemum dish made in imitation of the vermillion lacquer of the reign of the Yongle Emperor' (Yong fang Yongle zhuqi juhua pan). The Ming dynasty Yongle Emperor (1403-1424) was one of the most energetic and powerful rulers in Chinese history. Under his vibrant reign, numerous technical heights were reached in the production of porcelain and lacquer. Not to be outdone, the Qianlong Emperor also may have felt that he wished to appropriate the chrysanthemum form of lacquerware for himself, as both a homage to former glorious Emperors and also as a subtle expression of his own stature. Compare with an identical cinnabar lacquer 'chrysanthemum' bowl and cover, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 24 November 2013, lot 342.本拍品曾借展... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
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