清乾隆 仿哥窰六方貫耳瓶 《大清乾隆年製》款

of hexagonal section, sturdily potted with rounded sides rising from a splayed foot to a waisted neck, the neck flanked by a pair of tubular lug handles, the exterior unctuously covered with a soft grey glaze suffused with a dense network of black crackling and golden threads, the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character seal mark

There is a crescent-shaped of restored area with overpaint (approx. 2.5 cm) to the mouthrim, probably to conceal a shallow flake. The overall condition is otherwise quite good with only some minor firing imperfections including a short firing line to the brown-dressed foot.
"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."

'Ge', one of the official wares of the Southern Song court (1127-1279), has historically been and continues to be one of the most admired and desirable of all types of Chinese ceramics. The Yongzheng (1723-1735) and Qianlong Emperors were particularly keen admirers of ge wares and had original pieces sent to the Imperial kilns at Jingdezhen as models to copy. Every aspect of the Song ware was observed and emulated, from the colour of the glaze and crackling, to the foot being left unglazed then stained in a dark colour, to capture the essence of the prototype. Vases of this form and glaze began to be produced during the Yongzheng period, such as one of similar size, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasure of the Palace Museum. Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 204.

A closely related vase was included in the exhibition Shincho toji [Porcelain of the Qing dynasty], Kunryudo, Tokyo, 1995, cat. no. 35; one with less prominent crackles was sold twice in these rooms, 29th November 1979, lot 292, and 20th May 1981, lot 822; another was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 25th October 1993, lot 812; and a smaller example was sold in these rooms, 8th April 2009, lot 1651.

Vases of this form and size are also known covered overall in various monochrome glazes; see a pale blue-glazed example in the Hakutsuru Art Museum, Kobe, illustrated in Sekai toji zenshu [Catalogue of world’s ceramics], Tokyo, 1956, pl. 46; one covered with a tea-dust glaze, published in Chinese Ceramics from the Idemitsu Collection, Tokyo, 1987, pl. 964; and another from the Toguri Museum of Art, Tokyo, sold in our London rooms, 9th June 2004, lot 3.