A pair of gilt-bronze-mounted Chinese blue and white porcelain cachepots the mounts Régence, early 18th century, the porcelain Kangxi (1622-1722)

each with flowers and scrollwork decoration, the gilt-bronze reeded rim above a hinge with a lion mask on each side with a ring in its jaws above a tapering pierced Berainesque style mount terminating in a fleur de lys ; the porcelain with minor firing defects

In overall good original condition. The colour of the blue porcelain is slightly darker and the white ground is cleaner and the gilding is more golden and attractive than in the catalogue photograph. The Porcelain: It is Kangxi and 18th century On both there is a very small chip to the inside of the base of the bowl, where possibly there was previously a mount to the base but this is hardly noticeable. On one bowl: There are some minor scattered glaze cracks and crawling to the top part of the foot and some burst bubbles to the glaze and another very minor small crawl by the handle of the same one. The inside has numerous iron pin-hole marks. The glaze underneath has crazed in firing. On the other there is a crack approx 4cm and a related very minor chip to the footrim. There is also another firing crack but these are hardly noticeable.
"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."

Comparative Literature:
Pierre Kjellberg, Objets Montés du Moyen Age à Nos Jours, Paris, 2000, p. 34, for a blue and white Chinese porcelain vase with identical lion mask mounts (Galerie Gismondi, Paris).

The gilt-bronze mounts on these vases, with the lion masks with rings in their jaws above Berainesque style mounts, are typical of the Louis XIV and Régence period. Similar mounted vases can be found in the J. Paul Getty Museum in Malibu, see C. Bremer-David, Decorative Arts of the Getty Museum, Malibu, 1993, pp. 149-150.

Parisian marchands-merciers in the 18th century traded in luxury objects `objets d'art', such as these, often buying the Oriental porcelain and modifying it by for example cutting them before being mounted. 

Also see the Collection Leon Lévy, Important Mobilier et Objets d'Art, Sotheby's, Paris, 2nd October 2008, lot 15, for a pair of blue and white Kangxi porcelain vases and covers with identical side mounts.

See a pair of Chinese porcelain vases with identical mounts, sold Sotheby's, New York, 20th November 1993, lot 90 ($65,000). Another cache-pot with comparable mounts was in the Laura collection and sold Sotheby's, Paris, 27th June 2001, lot 24. 

A related Chinese blue and white porcelain vase was sold Magnificent French Furniture and Works of Art, Christie's, London, 12th December 2002, lot 27 (£47,800).