A Small Celadon-Glazed Handled Vase Seal Mark and Period of Qianlong

the compressed globular body rising from a flared foot to broad angular shoulders, surmounted by a waisted neck surmounted by a 'garlic-bulb' mouth, covered overall in an unctuous celadon glaze of sea-foam green tone, the lower body intricately carved with fifteen pendent cicada lappets enclosing leiwen motifs, all between a chevron band below the shoulders and band of petal lappets above the foot, the shoulders carved with a collar of pendent petal lappets above two stylised pairs of confronting dragons in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl' interrupted by four 'rope-twist' handles carved in openwork, the neck divided into two registers by a wider band of 'rope-twist', the upper register with upright petal lappets, the lower with dots and a pendent palmette band, all between a band of stylised ruyi motifs encircling the mouthrim and base of the neck, the foot further skirted with a lappet band, the base carved in relief with a six-character reign mark on a recessed panel

The mouthrim has three refilled nicks (max. approx. 0.5 cm), a glaze bruise (approx. 0.5 cm), as well as a small slightly stained area. One handle was rebuilt with overpaint. The inner footring has been restored, possibly to conceal a ring of firing crack visible on the interior floor. The actual colour is very close to the catalogue illustration.
"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."

This elegant vase represents the height of ceramic production at the Imperial kilns of Jingdezhen under the direction of China’s most famous superintendent, Tang Ying (1682-1756). It is an unusual piece in many ways, notable for its fine celadon glaze, rare form and attractive relief design, and has its roots in archaism.

Although no other vase of this form appears to have been published, it is reminiscent of archaic bronze vessels which often supplied models for Qianlong porcelain. Early Qing potters became masters at combining shapes and styles in myriad ways to create innovative pieces, and this vase is no exception. The form is possibly an adaptation of a Han ritual bronze vessel, hu; a bronze vessel of this type appears in the Xiqing Gujian, a compilation of archaic bronzes in the collection of the Imperial palace, dated 1755.This reference to archaic forms would also have been much appreciated by the Qianlong Emperor who was a great connoisseur and keen collector of archaic pieces.

Compare Qianlong vases similarly archaistic in form and decoration, such as a celadon-glazed baluster vase with four loop handles in the form of simplified dragons, carved with a band of related pendent leaves and confronting dragons, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 141; a small vase of compressed globular form and two loop handles, moulded with bands of archaistic leaves and geometric scrolls, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, published in Gu taoci ziliao xuancui, vol. 2, Beijing, 2005, pl. 223; and another pair from the T.Y. Chao collection, sold in these rooms 18th November 1986, lot 115. A vase of similar form, but lacking the loop handles and decorated with floral scrolls in famille-rose enamels, was included in the exhibition Tausand Jahre Chinesische Keramik, Museum fur Künst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, 1974, cat. no. 222.