A FINE AND RARE LARGE BLUE AND WHITE HANDLED VASE SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG |

with a robust compressed globular body rising from a splayed foot to a tall waisted neck and flared rim, the neck flanked by a pair of ruyi-handles, the rounded body decorated with a broad frieze enclosing luxuriant lotus scrolls between stylised bands rendered with bats and upright lappets enclosing lotus blossoms, the neck springing from a collar edged with keyfret below upright plantain leaves below an undulating ruyi strapwork suspending lotus scrollwork, all between bands of lotus blooms and pendent lappets encircling the rim and foot respectively, the base inscribed with a six-character seal mark

Estate of the Viscounts of Santa Margarida, Chamusca.

In excellent condition with the blue fired very bright and the glaze rich and glossy. The mouth is slightly warped.
"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."

Redesigning Tradition
A Sumptuous Blue and White Vase This sumptuous vase is a characteristic product of the early Qianlong period, when Tang Ying (1682-1756) was supervisor of the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen. It follows in the spirit of Yongzheng period blue and white porcelain: archaistic in both form and decoration yet firmly rooted in the modernity of the eighteenth century. Every aspect of a vessel was precisely calculated and planned but at the same time endowed with a sense of effortless elegance. Only two closely related vases appear to have been published, both sold in these rooms, the first, 29th November 1977, lot 221, and the second, 15th May 1990, lot 154. Compare also a Qianlong mark and period vase of related type, but with a markedly more stylised design and ruyi handles, from the collection of W.P. Foss, sold in these rooms, 21st/22nd May 1979, lot 180, and again at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27th November 2013, lot 3383.

The importance of this vase is evidenced by the eight different decorative design bands that encircle the body, auspicious in the number itself, and the carefully crafted ruyi handles that flank either side. Notably, while many of the designs are borrowed from celebrated early-fifteenth century originals, European rococo designs and has influenced the overall aesthetic of this vase, thus endowing this piece with a modernity true to the spirit of the early Qing dynasty. This rococo influence is evident on every design band, except for the geometric scroll: the leaves of the lotus scroll resemble acanthus leaves in their curling forms, ruyi heads are interspersed with ‘C’ scrolls, and the stiff leaf border, an iconic design from the Yongle reign (r. 1403-1424), is also embellished with a curl at the end of each luxuriant leaf. The interlocking bat design on the shoulder is also highly unusual, an ingenious method of incorporating Chinese auspicious motifs into a Western-style interlocking border. The success of such a complex arrangement lies in the craftsman’s masterful understanding of how the negative space is as important in the overall design as the skilfully rendered cobalt-blue designs.

Vases decorated with the iconic early Ming-style motif of scrolling lotus were made in a variety of forms and surrounded by equally varied European-inspired decorative bands during Tang Ying’s tenure as Superintendent; for example see a pear-shaped vase of related design and flanked with angular ruyi handles, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (III), Shanghai, 2000, pl. 96; two vases with Yongzheng seal marks and of the period, one with a broad angled shoulder and garlic mouth, and the other of hu form with archaistic animal-head handles, illustrated ibid., pls 93 and 95, together with their Qianlong counterparts, pls 121 and 136 respectively, all from the Qing court collection; and a Qianlong mark and period tianqiuping sold in these rooms, 5th October 2011, lot 1919.

Beautifully potted and painted in deep underglaze blue, the artisan’s skilful command over his material is further evident in the varied use of the cobalt pigment. The fine and precise outlines of the main lotus scroll highlight the exceptional quality of the decoration painted in the style that closely simulates the ‘heaping and piling’ of cobalt blue seen on some of the most accomplished Ming dynasty wares. This painting technique served to heighten the three-dimensional quality of the design and belonged to a special group of blue-and-white wares. For a discussion on the use of ‘heaping and piling’ on Qing ceramics, see Julian Thompson’s introduction in Chinese Porcelain. The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection, Hong Kong, 1987, p. 30.

This magnificent vase from the collection of the Viscounts of Santa Margarida is possibly one of the earliest Qianlong imperial porcelain vases to have come to Europe. It was collected by Joao Saldana e Silva (1743-1815), a knight of the Order of Christ who was personally recognised by the King of Portugal with his own coat of arms. Active in trade in the Far East, an extensive Chinese export porcelain set featuring this armorial was commissioned in the late 18th century. Decorated in green and gold with a crest-shape enclosing the words Saldanha e Silva, the armorial service was handed down through the generations of this aristocratic family, together with the current vase.