A FINE AND VERY RARE UNDERGLAZE-BLUE AND COPPER-RED MOONFLASK, BEIHU -

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HK$4,000,000 - HK$6,000,000
• ($517,693 - $776,540)

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Sale 2811
The Imperial Sale Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art
31 May 2010
Hong Kong Buy Catalog

A FINE AND VERY RARE UNDERGLAZE-BLUE AND COPPER-RED MOONFLASK, BEIHU
QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

The convex rounded sides each finely painted in rich copper-red crushed raspberry tone with a prominent five-clawed dragon in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl', its eyes picked out in cobalt, surrounded by scattered clouds above breaking waves encircling the base, the waisted neck rising to a flared mouth rim, flanked by scroll handles detailed with copper-red flowerheads divided by cobalt trefoil and dot motifs
17 5/8 in. (44.7 cm.) high, box

清乾隆 青花釉裏紅海水雲龍紋背壺

壺撇口，短頸，頸、肩相交處對稱飾如意耳，扁圓腹，橢圓形圈足。口沿下及足牆環繪青花海水江崖紋，青花如意雲飄浮於器體，器腹兩面中央飾釉裏紅躍龍戲珠紋。

此器造型端莊秀雅，所繪龍紋灑脫自如，雄健又力，頗有神韻。此壺係仿永宣造型，但在傳世品中不為多見。此類背壺分為兩種，其一直頸，器形較圓，多繪釉裏紅正面龍；其二撇口，器形較為修長。此器為第二類，飾釉裏紅側面龍，甚為珍罕。
此器源自法國M. Rouvier (1905-1970)私人收藏，去世後將整批藏品傳給子。2009年11月18日於巴黎Binoche Renaud Giquello拍賣行拍賣，拍品129號。

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THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN

The collection of M. Rouvier (1905-1970), France, who bequeathed his substantial collection of Chinese art to his nephew in 1970
Sold at Binoche Renaud Giquello, Paris, 18 November 2009, lot 129

The present example belongs to a group of two types of copper-red decorated underglaze-blue moonflasks with the design of upright dragons depicted striding above waves. The first, more common group are smaller in size with a slim straight neck and with a full-faced dragon and bear Qianlong sealmarks to the base. The second group of larger moonflaks, to which the current example belongs, appears to be extremely rare and show the dragon's face in profile, have flaring necks and far more pronounced scroll handles. Two examples with additional green and iron-red enamels were sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 20 March 1990, lot 642 and at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 29 October 1991, lot 305, the latter from the collection of Mrs D.C. Minton.

For an example of the first group of moonflasks with full-faced dragons see an example from the Qing Court collection illustrated in Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (III), The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Commerical Press Hong Kong, 2000, pl. 213; one from the Reitlinger collection is illustrated by S. Jenyns, Later Chinese Porcelain, London, 1971, pl. XCIV, fig. 1; one from the Walters collection is illustrated by S. Bushell, Oriental Ceramic Art, fig. 176; a slightly larger version was included in the Hong Kong Museum of Art exhibition Wonders of the Potter's Palette, 1984, and illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 66; and another was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 29 May 2007, lot 1373.

The combination of copper-red and underglaze cobalt-blue required extreme precision in the firing process and it is not surprising that there is a great deal of variation in the successfulness of the copper-red in extant examples belonging to both groups. The present vase is one of the most successful examples having retained sharpness in the cobalt-blue painting while also achieving a very pleasing rich raspberry-red in the copper-red details.

• Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art

• 18th Century
• dragon
• All other categories of objects
• vases
• ceramic
• China
• Qing dynasty (1644-1911)

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