Rare vase en bronze doré et émaux cloisonnés Dynastie Ming, fin du XVIE siècle

de forme ovoide, le pourtour décoré de huit lions bouddhistes jouant avec des pelotes de laine, autour d'un vase archaïsant et de lotus stylisés, le tout sur un fond turquoise, les anses à décor de dragons sinueux en bronze doré la gueule béante, le col tronconique à décor de lotus stylisés décoré à la base d'une frise en relief de pétales et orné en son centre d'un anneau bombé à décor incisé de rinceaux feuillagés, l'extrêmité du col terminé par une protubérance circulaire décorée d'une frise de fleurettes et le dessus en bronze doré incisé d'une frise de lotus, le pied arrondi en bronze doré incisé d'une frise feuillagée, le dessous figurant une large fleur épanouie

Acquired by the grandfather of the current owner in France in the early 1900s.
Thence in the family by descent.

The vase was originally transformed into a lamp (not drilled), part of the metal rod is still loose inside. The vase is quite heavy. There are overall light losses to the enamels, particularly where the shoulders join the gilt-metal lappets around the neck, and the neck itself. There is a ca. 3.5x3cm wide area on the side below one of the applied handles where the enamels have been filled in with some green wax-like material. There is overall light wear to the rich gilding.
"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."

Vases of this particular shape, which is believed to have been derived from a Tibetan kalasha vase, are rare and few examples are known in private and museum collections. The earliest recorded example of a cloisonné enamel vase of this form dated to the 15th century and decorated around the body with large lotus flowers, is in the Uldry Collection, Geneva, illustrated in Helmut Brinker and Albert Lutz, Chinese Cloisonne. The Pierre Uldry Collection, New York, 1989, col. pl. 9. Two other vases of this form but slightly smaller than the present example, one similarly decorated around the body with small lion-dogs, the other with rows of scrolling lotus flowers, both similarly applied with gilt-bronze dragon handles, are in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Metal-bodied Enamel Ware, Hong Kong, 2002, pls. 35 and 37. Unlike the present vase, the second example has a gilt-metal base chased with a Jingtai mark and dated to the mid-Ming period. Finally, for vase of the same form but decorated with painted enamels and bearing a Yongzheng mark, see Enamel Ware in the Ming and Ch'ing Dynasties, Taipei, 1989, cat. no. 98. 

The design of lion dogs playfully engaging with each other is also unusual and can be found on a few rare examples dated to the mid-Ming Dynasty, among others on a rectangular tray, a cuspidor-shaped jar and a tripod censer, illustrated ibid., pls. 21, 39 and 41.