Bonhams 1793 : A rare large teadust and robin's-egg-glazed vase 18th/19th century

18th/19th century
The heavily-potted body flanked by a pair of moulded animal-head handles, decorated in relief with archaistic kui dragons on a turquoise incised diaper ground, between a band of carved and turquoise upright lappets at the shoulder and a border of pendent ruyi-heads encircling the foot, the neck with two auspicious emblems in relief, all reserved on a teadust ground. 82.9cm (32½in) high

Estimate:

£40,000 - 60,000
HK$ 470,000 - 700,000
CNY 370,000 - 560,000

Footnotes

十八/十九世紀茶葉末地爐鈞釉夔龍紋雙獸耳瓶

The teadust glaze on this impressive vase is designed to simulate bronze. As the range and quality of glazes and colours available at Jingdezhen expanded during the Qing Dynasty, the potters and artists were able to indulge the taste of the Emperors, and the Qianlong Emperor in particular, for ambitious and showy pieces. Porcelain vessels simulating bronze were a means to acknowledge a debt to China's archaic past in a humorous yet refined manner.

Compare a related vase with a teadust glaze simulating bronze, Qianlong mark and of the period, from the collection of the Vicomte de Noailles, which was sold at Sotheby's Paris, 15 December 2011, lot 92.

Category: Asian Art / Chinese Works of Art

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