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TWO IMPRESSIVE BLUE AND WHITE 'LOTUS AND SHOU-MEDALLION' HU-SHAPED HANDLED VASES Qianlong six-character seal marks and of the period (2) image 1
TWO IMPRESSIVE BLUE AND WHITE 'LOTUS AND SHOU-MEDALLION' HU-SHAPED HANDLED VASES Qianlong six-character seal marks and of the period (2) image 2
TWO IMPRESSIVE BLUE AND WHITE 'LOTUS AND SHOU-MEDALLION' HU-SHAPED HANDLED VASES Qianlong six-character seal marks and of the period (2) image 3
TWO IMPRESSIVE BLUE AND WHITE 'LOTUS AND SHOU-MEDALLION' HU-SHAPED HANDLED VASES Qianlong six-character seal marks and of the period (2) image 4
TWO IMPRESSIVE BLUE AND WHITE 'LOTUS AND SHOU-MEDALLION' HU-SHAPED HANDLED VASES Qianlong six-character seal marks and of the period (2) image 5
TWO IMPRESSIVE BLUE AND WHITE 'LOTUS AND SHOU-MEDALLION' HU-SHAPED HANDLED VASES Qianlong six-character seal marks and of the period (2) image 6
PROPERTY FROM A NORTH AMERICAN PRIVATE COLLECTOR
Lot 28

TWO IMPRESSIVE BLUE AND WHITE 'LOTUS AND SHOU-MEDALLION' HU-SHAPED HANDLED VASES
Qianlong six-character seal marks and of the period

Amended
Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art
15 September 2025, 09:00 EDT
New York

Sold for US$254,500 inc. premium

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TWO IMPRESSIVE BLUE AND WHITE 'LOTUS AND SHOU-MEDALLION' HU-SHAPED HANDLED VASES

Qianlong six-character seal marks and of the period
The robustly potted pear-shaped 'hu' vases each supported on a slightly flared foot painted with a band of classic scrolls, rising to a rotund body tapering at the shoulders further flanked by a pair of molded archaistic scroll handles, the bodies painted in vibrant blue with stylized fronted lotus and radiating tendrils, all below chain-linked ruyi-heads, a broad band of 'shou' characters against a wan diaper ground, and a keyfret border at the straight mouth rim.
One:
17 3/4in (45cm) high;
6 9/16in (16.6cm) diam of mouth;
9 11/16in (24.6cm) diam of foot;
The other:
17 5/8in (44.8cm) high;
6 9/16in (16.6cm) diam of mouth;
9 13/16in (25cm) diam of foot
 (2).

Footnotes

清乾隆 《大清乾隆年製》篆書款 青花纏枝蓮團壽紋鹿頭尊兩件

Imposing in both form and design, the two vases are notable for their stately shapes and superbly executed motifs, which reflect the Qianlong emperor's deep reverence for antiquity yet reimagined with his distinctive and majestic taste.

The hu shape of the vases, also known as the 'deer-head' or 'ox-head' form, draws inspiration from archaic bronze vessels. See a Shang dynasty bronze hu from the S. H. Minkenhof Collection, illustrated in H. F. E. Visser, Asiatic Art, Holland, 1948, pl. 4, no. 5. During the Yongzheng reign, Tang Ying (1682–1756), the celebrated Superintendent of the imperial Kilns at Jingdezhen, further developed the shape in ceramics by beautifully conjoining both the form and the refined floral-scroll decoration characteristic of porcelains of the era. Compare, for instance, a Yongzheng mark and period vase from the Qing Court Collection, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red, vol. 3, Shanghai, 2000, pl. 229.

While Qianlong examples of the type, such as the present vases, are developed from Yongzheng prototypes, the decoration sets it apart most notably in the richly enameled shou (壽, longevity) character band set against the meticulously painted wan diaper ground. This pairing not only reinforces the auspicious symbolism of longevity, but also highlights the exceptional craftsmanship required to balance and integrate these intricate decorative elements. The geometric ground enhances the intensity of the cobalt blue within the shou characters and creates a striking visual contrast. In addition, by rendering the stylized lotus blossoms in a clear and vivid fashion as opposed to in the more traditionally adapted 'heaped and piled' effect, the vessel is lent a heightened sense of visual weight, replacing the Yongzheng period's refined delicacy with a bold, majestic aesthetic that reflects the Qianlong Emperor's preference for grandeur and imperial visual statements.

A closely related vase from the Shanghai Museum is illustrated in Selected Ceramics from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Hu, Shanghai, 1989, pl. 62; another is published in Geng Baochang, Ming Qing Ciqi Jianding, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 455. A pair from the T.Y. Chao Collection, including one sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 19 May 1987, lot 272, was also featured in the exhibition Ch'ing Porcelain from the Wah Kwong Collection, The Art Gallery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1973–4, cat. no. 68.

Saleroom notices

Please note, one of the vases has breaks to the neck, expertly restored. For further details please see condition report. 請注意，兩壺之一壺頸有破，經專業精心修復。詳細信息請見品相報告。

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