A RARE BLUE AND WHITE 'SANDUO' JAR MARK AND PERIOD OF YONGZHENG |

the tall cylindrical body rising to gently sloping shoulders and a short neck, painted to the exterior in deep tones of cobalt blue with simulated 'heaped and piled' effect, depicting flowering and fruiting branches of the sanduo ('Three abundances'), including peach, pomegranate and lychee, the neck and foot encircled by ruyi and petal lappets respectively, inscribed to the base with a six-character reign mark within a double circle

A Swedish private collection, acquired from China, c. 1915-1920, by repute.

There is a small touched up area to the rim. The footring has two minute kiln flakes.
"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."

The simplicity of this form, the sides of which dramatically drop down from high shoulders, is a Yongzheng innovation and embodies the elegant style characteristic of the period. Finding inspiration from Ming ceramics and combining this with the developments in porcelain production and the Emperor's aesthetic preferences led to high-quality wares that were both inventive and classic. Furthermore, such vessels reveal the drinking and eating habits of its time: in this case the storage and consumption of tea. During the Ming dynasty, a revolution in the history of tea in China occurred when the production of caked tea was prohibited and the use of powered tea was replaced by tea leaves. As a result, new tea utensils for steeping tea, such as teapots and tea caddies, replaced the traditional grinder, sieve, bamboo brush and ladles. Many of the Ming tea traditions were continued in the Qing dynasty and while the actual utensils did not change drastically, a greater assortment of shapes and designs evolved with the flourishing porcelain production of the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong reigns.

Tea caddies for storing tea leaves were produced in a number of forms, the present being one of the largest types, and invariably inspired by early-Ming examples. The present jar is decorated with the sanduo, namely the peach, pomegranate and lychee, in imitation of early fifteenth century blue and white porcelain. Closely related Yongzheng examples of slightly larger size, and with their original covers, include one in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the Museum’s exhibition Empty Vessels, Replenished Minds: The Culture, Practice and Art of Tea, Taipei, 2002, cat. no. 121, where it is catalogued as a tea caddy; and another in the Palace Museum, Beijing, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (III), Shanghai, 2000, pl. 104. The potting of the vessels and painterly style of the decoration on the aforementioned examples are particularly reminiscent to the present piece.