In its coming Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Sale, Christie’s presents two imperial vessels from the Qianlong period as the leading lots. The top lot is a blue and white double gourd vase which its estimate is on request (we have inquired that it is estimated at HK$32m). It is followed by a turquoise-ground famille rose lobed teapot and cover, which is estimated at HK$10m-15m.

The leading blue and white double gourd vase has a Qianlong six-character seal mark in underglaze blue. Estimated at HK$32m, the 23.3cm-tall vase belonged to T.Y Chao, a prominent tycoon of a shipping company.

In the shape of a double gourd, the vase is painted around the globular body with a lotus scroll between ruyi-heads encircling the shoulder and lotus lappets around the foot.

A turquoise-ground famille rose lobed teapot and cover was also made in the Qianlong period. It has a Qianlong six-character seal mark in iron red. Estimated at HK$10m-15m, the teapot had been auctioned at Sotheby’s Hong Kong twice.

The body of the teapot is moulded into six lobes, decorated on each side with a large lotus blossom borne on scrolls, interlinked with a pale blue bat above, ruyi-head below. This unusual form is possibly inspired by Kangxi falangcai prototypes.  ‘Lotus’ provides a homophone for the word for ‘continuity’, and is similar in pronunciation to the word for ‘year’. ‘Bat’ is a homophone to the word ‘blessing’. Hence the combined imagery of lotus and bat borne on scrolls on the current teapot qualifies the wish for ‘May you have endless blessings’.

Another highlight of the sale is a large huanghuali demountable recessed trestle-leg table from late Ming dynasty, measuring 87.5cm in height and 218.5cm in width.  It is estimated at HK$10m to 15m.

Demountable trestle-leg tables are made to be easily disassembled to facilitate transport. The method of demountable construction is most often seen on these early examples with thick and heavy plank tops, as it made the transportation of such tables much easier. The thick trestle legs of rectangular section have wide single panels carved in openwork with ruyi heads.

 

Top five lots carrying highest estimate

A Fine and Very Rare Blue and White Double-gourd Vase
Qianlong Six-character Seal Mark in Underglaze Blue and of the Period (1736-1795)

Lot no.: 3004
Height: 23.3cm
Provenance:

• Sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 12 May 1976, lot 111
• The T.Y. Chao Private and Family Trust Collections of Important Chinese Ceramics and Jade Carvings: Part II, sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 19 May 1987, lot 274
• A Chinese private collection
• Sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 1 December 2010, lot 3054

Estimate on Request (The Value has learnt the estimate is HK$32,000,000)

A Superb and Rare Turquoise-ground Famille Rose Lobed Teapot and Cover
Qianlong Six-character Seal Mark in Iron Red and of the Period (1736-1795)

Lot no.: 3007
Height: 17.3cm
Provenance:

• Sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 5 November 1996, lot 882
• Sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 October 2013, lot 3034

Estimate: HK$10,000,000 - 15,000,000

A Rare and Magnificent Large Huanghuali Demountable Recessed Trestle-leg Table With Everted Flanges, Qiaotou'an
Late Ming Dynasty

Lot no.: 3023
Size: 87.5 x 218.5 x 47cm
Provenance:

• Nicholas Grindley, 1996
• A New York private collection
• Fine Chinese Furniture from Private American Collections, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 November 2012, lot 2023

Estimate: HK$10,000,000 - 15,000,000

A Fine and Very Rare Blue and White ‘Floral’ Bowl
Xuande Six-character Mark in Underglaze Blue Within a Double Circle and of the Period (1426-1435)

Lot no.: 3029
Diameter: 19.6cm
Provenance:

• The Chang Foundation Museum of Art, Taipei
• The Alan Chuang Collection, Hong Kong

Estimate: HK$6,800,000 - 8,000,000

An Important and Extremely Rare Carved Longquan Celadon Jar
Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368)

Lot no.: 3028
Height: 29.8cm
Provenance:

• The Hisamatsu Family Collection, an important Daimyo family in Ehime prefecture that ruled during the Edo period (1603-1867)
• Gifted to the present owner by the Hisamatsu family in 1955 (with a letter included with the jar recording the history)

Estimate: HK$5,000,000 - 7,000,000

Auction details
Auction house: Christie’s Hong Kong
Sale: Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art
Lots offered: 163
Preview:
2018/5/25｜10:30am - 8pm
2018/5/26 - 29｜10:30am - 6:30pm
Auction:
2018/5/30｜2:30pm (lot 3001 - 3163)