A GILT-BRONZE ARCHAISTIC 'FIVE-SPOUTED' VASE AND A CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL PEDESTAL SHUANGGUITANG MARK, QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

of baluster form surmounted by a straight central neck and flanged rim, surrounded by five attendant necks around the shoulder, finely cast around the exterior with four taotie masks reserved on a leiwen ground, between pendent cicada around the base and a border of chilong encircling the shoulder, the necks collared with pendant lappets, the base inscribed with a Shuangguitang ('Paired Osmanthus Hall') mark, set on a square pedestal base with a galleried top, the exterior decorated with flower sprays and lobed motifs divided by petal panels, all reserved on a turquoise ground

Lorenz Denney Fine Arts, Brighton, 1981.

There is some wear and rubbing to the gilding on the archaistic vase, predominantly around the mouth rims, together with some malachite oxide developing around the necks and to their interiors. There is some wear and some cracks to the base of the vase. The base is well fitted to the base, although possibly associated.
"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 finely cast and decorated miniature vessel belongs to a small and special group of wares that was particularly appreciated by the Qianlong Emperor, who was an enthusiastic collector of curios and miniature artefacts. The possible use and origin of this piece is recorded on an inkstick, dated to the 27th year of Kangxi (corresponding to 1688), which illustrates a closely related vase on a taller stand, the reverse with a 58-character inscription entitled 'The Precious Dew Platform', included in Soame Jenyns, Chinese Art, vol. 3, Oxford, 1981, pl. 212. Jenyns notes that this alludes to an incident described in the Shih chi, when the people of the Cinnabar Mound (Danqui) presented to the Yellow Emperor an agate vase which exuded a precious dew. The Shun emperor moved the precious vase to Mount Heng in Henan where it was known as the Precious Dew Platform. 

A closely related five-spouted (wuguanqi) vase in the Cernuschi Museum, attributed to the late 17th/18th century, is illustrated by Michel Maucuer, Bronzes de la Chine impériale des Song aux Qing, Paris, 2013, p. 146, pl. 99. For a Qianlong reign-marked bronze vase in the Palace Museum, Beijing, cast with closely related archaistic iconography similar delineated in low relief, see Chan Hou Seng (ed.), Views of Antiquity in the Qing Imperial Palace, Macau Museum of Art, Macau, 2001, p. 52, pl. 1.