Bruce Maclaren
Global Head, Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy
Lot 169
A RARE IMPERIAL GILT-LACQUERED BRONZE 'PHOENIX' VASE Qianlong mark and of the period
21 September 2020, 12:00 EDT
New YorkUS$70,000 - US$100,000
Looking for a similar item?
Our Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistAsk about this lot
Dessa Goddard
Senior Vice President, US Head, Asian Art Group
A RARE IMPERIAL GILT-LACQUERED BRONZE 'PHOENIX' VASE
Qianlong mark and of the period
Of square-sectioned baluster form, each side of the body crisply cast with a panel depicting a phoenix with long scrolling tail feathers and outstretched wings amid scrolling acanthus leaves and four large peony blossoms, the design without peony blossoms repeated on the waisted neck set between keyfret borders below the galleried rim cast with a classic scroll, flanked by a pair of angular zoomorphic handles suspending loose rectangular rings over the broad angular shoulders cast with ruyi lappets, the lower section of the vase cast with a band of pendant cicada lappets between cloud-scroll and keyfret bands and made to resemble a pedestal foot resting on a stepped rectangular plinth, cast with C-scrolls on the lower step and a classic scroll on the upper step interrupted on one side by a rectangular panel enclosing the six-character Da Qing Qianlong nian zao mark, the surfaces with remnants of gilt-lacquer.
16 3/8in (41.5cm) high
Of square-sectioned baluster form, each side of the body crisply cast with a panel depicting a phoenix with long scrolling tail feathers and outstretched wings amid scrolling acanthus leaves and four large peony blossoms, the design without peony blossoms repeated on the waisted neck set between keyfret borders below the galleried rim cast with a classic scroll, flanked by a pair of angular zoomorphic handles suspending loose rectangular rings over the broad angular shoulders cast with ruyi lappets, the lower section of the vase cast with a band of pendant cicada lappets between cloud-scroll and keyfret bands and made to resemble a pedestal foot resting on a stepped rectangular plinth, cast with C-scrolls on the lower step and a classic scroll on the upper step interrupted on one side by a rectangular panel enclosing the six-character Da Qing Qianlong nian zao mark, the surfaces with remnants of gilt-lacquer.
16 3/8in (41.5cm) high
Footnotes
清乾隆 銅漆金鑄鳳穿牡丹紋夔鳳活環耳方瓶
《大清乾隆年造》款
The quality of the casting on this vase is superb. The design of the phoenix stands out crisply from the background and the overlapping tail feathers and scrolling leaves provide an added sense of depth. The scrolling acanthus leaves hint at a Western influence and it has been surmised that such vases were made for the Western-style buildings in the Summer Palace.
This idea is supported by a vase of almost identical design which, as part of a pair with a Qianlong mark and period vase with dragon decoration, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 10 April 2006, lot 1537, and again on 9th October 2007, lot 1322-- it bore a later engraving with the date 1860 to memorialize their removal from the Summer Palace.
A Qianlong mark and period vase of circular section with dragon decoration was sold at Christie's London, 5 December 2019, lot 100. That example is similar to the present example in that the lower section is cast to resemble a pedestal foot resting on a stepped plinth and similarly decorated with cicada lappets, classic scroll and C-scrolls.
Additional information
Bid now on these items
