清乾隆 釉裏紅折枝瑞果紋梅瓶 《大清乾隆年製》款

elegantly modelled after an early Ming dynasty prototype, superbly potted with rounded shoulders rising at a gently flaring angle from the base and sweeping to a short waisted neck with a slightly everted mouth, the exterior deftly painted with a wide frieze of five sprays arranged in an alternating double register, the upper register showing detached peach, pomegranate and finger citrus, the lower register with lychee and loquat, the leafy branches further issuing small blossoms and buds, the shoulders draped by a band of pendent lotus lappets enclosing elaborately picked out trefoils, below the waisted neck collared by interlocking ruyi heads with stylised leafy florets, the foot further bordered by a band of upright overlapping plantain leaves, all painted in soft washes of copper red of a rosy-pink tone with occasional speckles of apple green, accented by simulated 'heaping and piling' effect, the recessed base centred with an underglaze-blue six-character seal mark

加納爵士收藏
香港蘇富比1978年5月23日，編號107

Leicester Museum and Art Gallery，萊切斯特，借展
《Chinese and Japanese Ceramics from the Collection of Sir Harry and Lady Garner》，Bluett & Sons Ltd，倫敦，1973年，編號52，圖版XXI

Soame Jenyns，《Later Chinese Porcelain. The Ch'ing Dynasty (1644-1912)》，倫敦，1951年，圖版XXII，圖2

The piece is in overall good condition except for a few minor kiln faults. There are two filled in rim flakes (approx. 0.4 and 0.2 cm). The vase also has a cleaned hairline above the shoulder, extending around, measuring approx. 8 cm. There is also a 3 cm vertical hairline above the lappet band, extending through the double line. The base has a star crack to the glaze, measuring approx. 3.5 cm at the widest point.
"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."

如前所述，乾隆帝詔命燒造大量梅瓶，尺寸、釉色、紋飾多樣，然此件釉裏紅梅瓶似為孤品。其品來源有緒，曾為加納爵士典藏。加氏為知名數學家、學者、收藏家，曾於1967-70年間出任東方陶瓷學會會長，主筆數本中國藝術專著，如青花瓷、漆器、掐絲琺瑯器等，其大部分中國陶瓷及藝術品收藏，已捐贈倫敦大英博物館，以及國立維多利亞與艾伯特博物館。

北京故宮博物院藏一件乾隆年款釉裏紅梅瓶，出自清宮舊藏，紋飾類同此瓶，但瓶肩寬平，紋飾僅見三果，壽桃、石榴、佛手，見《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集．青花釉裏紅（下）》，上海，2000年，圖版179 （圖一）。且比較二件近似釉裏紅瑞果紋梅瓶，其一載於《東京國立博物館圖版目錄：中國古陶磁篇》，卷2，東京，1990年，圖版570，另一瓶1985年5月21日售於香港蘇富比，編號143。還有一例釉裏紅綴七種折枝花果紋，青花繪枝葉，曾二度售於香港蘇富比，分別為1983年5月12日，編號194及1998年11月2日，編號301（圖二）。

常見乾隆青花梅瓶，繪折技花果各三，雙層交錯，延續永樂窰樣式，如南京博物院藏一例，刊於《中國清代官窰瓷器》，上海，2003年，頁215。仇焱之舊藏亦有一瓶，1981年5月19日售於香港蘇富比，編號546，載錄於 Michel Beurdeley 及 Guy Raindre，《Qing Porcelain》，倫敦，1987年，圖版153。還有一例錄於《天民樓藏瓷》， 香港，1987年，編號63，此處朱湯生論及，清代青花瓷傚仿永樂紋飾，於圖紋外廓仿作明初青花瓷深藍錫斑特色，突顯紋飾立體感，見頁30。

加納爵士專著《Oriental Blue & White》，倫敦，1954、1964、1970年三度再版，其中文版本（上海，1992年），為中國古陶瓷學會會長葉文程與羅文華翻譯。加納爵士捐贈大英博物館藏品，可見於 Jessica Harrison-Hall，《Ming Ceramics in the British Museum》，倫敦，2001年，圖版1:19及12:132。此件梅瓶曾載於 Soame Jenyns，《Later Chinese Porcelain. The Ch'ing Dynasty (1644-1912)》，倫敦，1951年，1931年至1967年間，作者任職大英博物館，廣泛研究出版明清瓷器專書，後亦將其中國瓷器收藏捐贈予博物館東方古物部門。