A FINE CELADON-GLAZED LOBED ZHADOU SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF YONGZHENG |

the shouldered body divided into six undulating lobes resembling petals, all supported on a stepped splayed foot and surmounted by a short trumpet-shaped mouth, covered overall save for the footring with an even bluish-green glaze, the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character seal mark

Collection of T.Y. Chao (1912-1999).
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 19th May 1987, lot 285.

The zhadou is in very good overall condition. There is an approx. 0.3 cm burst air bubble with an associated insignificant flake to the foot and expected firing imperfections to the interior.
"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 exemplifies the technical perfection obtained by craftsmen working during the Yongzheng period through its deceptively simple form and luminous celadon glaze. The Yongzheng Emperor was a keen antiquarian who instructed the study and production of numerous pieces from the Imperial collections. As with many monochrome wares produced during his reign, both the form and glaze reference celebrated traditions from China's illustrious cultural history. The form is a reinterpretation of the archaic bronze zun, while the subtle glaze has been created in imitation of Longquan celadon of the Song period (960-1279). Monochrome vessels required great skill in every stage of their production, from the purity of the clay and precision of potting to the evenness of the glaze and control of the firing process.  A closely related example from the Baur collection is illustrated in Gakuji Hasebe and Fujio Nakazawa eds, Chūgoku no tōji. Shin no kanyō [Chinese ceramics. Official wares in Qing dynasty], vol. 11, Tokyo, 1996, pl. 50; another in the Jingdezhen Ceramic Museum is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Porcelain of Jiangxi Province, Beijing, 2008, vol. II, pl. 69; and a further example was included in the exhibition Chinese Celadons and Other Related Wares in Southeast Asia, National Museum of Singapore, 1979, cat. no. 274. See also a zhadou of this type, from the J.M. Hu Family collection, sold in our New York rooms, 23rd September 1995, lot 427; and another sold in our London rooms, 3rd December 1974, lot 356, and again, 13th May 2009, lot 220.

Zhadou of this form appear to have been favoured by the Yongzheng Emperor and were also created with various glazes; for example, one of comparable size, but with a Ru-type glaze, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei is illustrated in A Panorama of Ceramics in the National Palace Museum: Chun ware, Taipei, 1999, pl. 15; one covered in a guan-type glaze, from the collection of Sir Herbert Ingram, now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, is illustrated in Soame Jenyns, Later Chinese Porcelain. The Ch'ing Dynasty (1644-1912), London, 1951, pl. LXVI, fig. 2; and two turquoise-glazed examples were sold at Christie's London, 10th April, 1984, lot 227. Two zhadou are also depicted in the 1728 handscroll, Guwantu [Pictures of Antiquities], from the Sir Percival David collection, now in the British Museum, London, and included in the exhibition China. The Three Emperors. 1662-1795, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2005, cat. no. 168.