A BLUE AND WHITE 'THREE FRIENDS' VASE QING DYNASTY, YONGZHENG PERIOD

sturdily potted with a baluster body surmounted by a tall trumpet neck flaring at the rim, the body and neck similarly painted with a continuous scene depicting the 'Three Friends of Winter', including tall bamboo shoots stemming from jagged rocks and trees with boughs of pine and branches of flowering prunus below a full moon, all divided by line borders

Good condition with just typical firing imperfections characteristics of its type, especially pinholes to the interior, minor surface wear, scratches and minute nicks to the unglazed footrim.
"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 vase is painted with the highly auspicious motif of the ‘Three Friends of Winter’, with the pine and bamboo, which remain green through the cold winter, and the prunus tree, the first tree to blossom each year. These three plants are representative of fortitude and uprightness in adverse conditions, as well as symbolic of longevity. The origin of the term is found as early as the writings of the Song loyalist Lin Chingxi (1241-1310), and was a popular decorative motif from the Yuan dynasty through the Qing period.