11.5 cm. (4 1/2 in.) wide

Of oval form with rounded gently splayed sides supported on a slightly raised foot, flanked by a pair of elongated C-shaped ear handles, covered overall in an even thick opaque greyish blue glaze suffused with a network of faint golden crackle, the base inscribed with an imperial six-character zhuanshu seal mark in underglaze blue.The form of the present vessel is inspired by its archaic bronze and lacquer prototypes dating to the Warring States period (475-221 BC) and Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), which was used as a drinking wine vessel during that era. The soft greyish blue Ru type glaze on the other hand, originates from one of the rarest of the five celebrated official wares of the Song dynasty. These factors explain the Qianlong emperor's love and reverence of the archaic, and his intention to draw inspiration from the past to influence the porcelain of his reign. The present lot achieves this philosophy, achieving the subtle curves of the vessel which is accentuated by the luminous glaze, resulting in a piece that was both contemporary and steeped in tradition.The embracing of archaism in Qing court was a court-directed initiative in the eighteenth century, and archaic pieces from the imperial collections were sent to Jingdezhen to be copied in porcelain. It is recorded in Taocheng Jishi Bei Ji or ‘Commemorative Stele on Ceramic Production', that during the thirteenth year of the Yongzheng reign (1735), Tang Ying, the Superintendent of the Imperial kilns at Jingdezhen, mentioned that 'a number of glazes in imitation of Song wares, including ‘moon-white, pale green and deep green, all copied from ancient pieces sent from the Imperial Palace.'Provenance:Lee Family collection, formed in Shanghai in the 1920s.Sotheby's London, 5 November 2014, lot 9

Price estimate:
HKD: 1,500,000 - 2,000,000
USD: 191,300 - 255,000

Auction Result:
HKD: --