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Lot 86
A RARE ENAMELLED GLASS 'BAJIXIANG' DOUBLE GOURD VASE Qianlong seal mark and of the period.
14 May 2025, 10:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £7,680 inc. premium
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Chen Xie
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Edward Luper
Specialist, Chinese Works of Art
Lazarus Halstead
Head of Chinese and Asian Art, London
A RARE ENAMELLED GLASS 'BAJIXIANG' DOUBLE GOURD VASE
Qianlong seal mark and of the period.
Of double-gourd shape with a tubular neck, supported on a raised foot ring, the lower bulb encircled by the Eight Auspicious Emblems, each adored with flowing ribbons, the upper section decorated with layers of beaded necklaces suspending plaques with attached floral heads and tassels, all beneath a floral band set against a yellow ground on the neck.
10cm (3 7/8in) high.
Of double-gourd shape with a tubular neck, supported on a raised foot ring, the lower bulb encircled by the Eight Auspicious Emblems, each adored with flowing ribbons, the upper section decorated with layers of beaded necklaces suspending plaques with attached floral heads and tassels, all beneath a floral band set against a yellow ground on the neck.
10cm (3 7/8in) high.
Footnotes
清乾隆 涅白地料加彩八吉祥紋葫蘆瓶
「乾隆年製」篆書刻款
This vase exemplifies enamelled glass wares produced in the Imperial Palace Workshop during the Qianlong period, distinguished by its refined form, delicate enamelling, and fine craftsmanship. It represents the combined expertise of two key Imperial Workshops: the Glass Workshop (or Glass House), where the vessel was crafted, and the Enamelling Workshop, where its decoration was meticulously painted.
The Imperial Glass Workshop was founded in 1696 during the Kangxi emperor's reign under the supervision of Jesuit missionaries, who introduced advanced glassmaking techniques. Western and Chinese artisans from Guangdong and Shandong collaborated there throughout the 18th century. Painted-enamel glassware, first developed under the Yongzheng Emperor, reached its peak under Qianlong, achieving a flawless, lustrous finish. During this time, two Jesuit missionaries, Pierre d'Incarville and Gabriel-Léonard de Brossard, oversaw glass production, while renowned Court painter Giuseppe Castiglione often influenced the shapes and decoration. Glassware was used for daily utensils, sacrificial vessels, furnishings, and scholars' objects, reflecting its esteemed status at the Imperial Court.
The present lot is very rare. See a glass water pot painted with flowers in enamels, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, illustrated in Splendour of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1992, in p.417, no.284. Compare also with a painted enamel glass bottle vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, and a pink glass double gourd vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, illustrated in Ming and Qing Chinese Arts from the C.P.Lin Collection, Hong Kong, 2014, pp.354-355, nos.220-221.
For a clear glass washer enamelled with related bajixiang and tassel designs from the Mary and George Bloch collection see Sotheby's Hong Kong, 23 October 2005, lot 146. See also a small finely enamelled blue-ground famille rose glass 'floral' vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, which was sold at Christie's London, 3 November 2020, lot 44.