A RARE TURQUOISE-GROUND GILT-DECORATED 'DRAGON' VASE SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG

the compressed globular body with a broad shoulder sweeping up to a slender neck and a slightly flared mouth, finely decorated on the exterior with nine ferocious 'five-clawed' dragons in different poses amid stylised clouds, all painted in gilt over a red layer on the turquoise ground, the interior and the base covered in a pale turquoise glaze, the base inscribed with a six-character reign mark in iron-red

Collection of Lord Loch of Drylaw (1827-1900) (?).
Collection of Alfred Morrison (1821-1897), Fonthill House, Tisbury, Wiltshire.
The Rt. Hon The Lord Margadale of Islay, T.D.
Christie's London, 18th October 1971, lot 84.
Jen Chai Art Gallery, New York, no. A533 (one of the gallery labels of J.T. Tai & Co.).

The overall condition is very good with only a 2 x 2 cm patch of scratches to one of the legs of a dragon near the base of the vase. There is light wear to the gilding at the mouth and foot with a couple of minute flakes to the gilding at the mouth. The gilding in the body is in very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In their search for ever new designs and styles for the Qianlong Emperor, the porcelain painters of the imperial kilns sometimes took the unusual step to reduce rather than to enlarge their choice of colours and decorative techniques from the cornucopia of possibilities at their disposal, and then usually came up with particularly smart designs. This is the case with the present vase, which shows a highly unusual colour scheme, which does not seem to be otherwise recorded. Set on a contrasting plain turquoise ground the nine golden dragons appear to be floating in an azure sky.

No vases of this design layout and two-colour combination appear to have been published but an echo of the present design can be seen in an equally rare five-dragon vase painted in black on white, of Daoguang mark and period, preserved in the Seikado Bunko Art Museum and included in the exhibition Seikadō zo Shincho toji. Keitokuchin kanyo no bi [Qing dynasty porcelain collected in the Seikado. Beauty of Jingdezhen imperial kilns], Seikado Bunko Art Museum, Tokyo, 2006, pl. 75.