Lot:605

Qianlong imperial vase with decoration added during a later period

Qianlong imperial vase with decoration painted during a later period. This exquisite light green vase has an extremely fine, dense and white clay body that is typical of imperial porcelain of Qianlong period. It is heavy for its size. Its elegant shape, and very low and broad foot rim are consistent with this type of vases of Qianlong period (see, e.g., p. 333 of “Complete List of Ceramics of Qing Dynasty”, ISBN 957-9500-00-2; p. 103, fig. 134 of Gen Bao Chan”s “Identification of Ming & Qing Porcelain—Section on Qing”, old edition, ISBN; and p.121 of “2011 Antiques. Chinese Arts Auction Records”, ISBN 978-7-5356-4286-8). The light green glaze is very even, has a very smooth waxy-watery surface, unlike the uneven, less refined and glaring/shining surface of later imitation products. Further, the glaze surface of this genuine Qianlong imperial vase is not sticky to touch, due to over 250 years of aging; whereas the imitations’ newly fired glazes are often sticky to the touch, like a new glass surface. The poem on it is written in excellent flowing calligraphy that resembles the writing of Mr. Tang Yin, Qianlong emperor’s superintendent of the Imperial Porcelain Factory. However, the painting of flowers and birds is of a later style and must be considered as added on after Qianlong period. A similar shaped but slightly larger vase was auctioned for RMB 1,407,600 (see p. 127 of “2012 ANTIQUES. Chinese Arts Auction Records” , ISBN 978-7-5356-5093-1.

Size:  5.5 in. (14 cm) Dia x 9.5 in. (24 cm) H

極精美的乾隆湖水綠釉葫蘆瓶，後加彩畫。此瓶造型是典型乾隆葫蘆瓶。特別寛而矮的圈足修切得極工整，內外兩胎釉線切得淨潔利落，自釉到胎有一台堦狀的下落。這些仔細的工藝也是典 型乾隆工藝。胎極細白而潤，瓶雖不大但胎甚重，這乾隆官窯瓷胎的特徵，後仿者大都胎泥粗鬆而輕。湖水綠釉極細潤，平勻。撫之釉表如有一層薄蠟或帶水，釉表沒有後仿及近代瓷的火氣賊光及澀感。後仿瓷因沒有經過二百五十年以上的歲月消磨而表面火氣賊光耀眼，撫之有新玻璃面的澀感。此瓶的題詩“風來花自舞，鳥語伴花香”氣韻風格確有乾隆宮中大內的氣派，字字寫得好，筆筆流暢，也有乾隆時督御窯官唐英的神韻。但所畫的花鳥風格筆法都似乾隆以後特徵。此瓶應是乾隆瓷後加彩繪。2012 年“古董拍賣年鍳（ISBN 978-7-5356-5093-1)第127頁有一與此瓶基本上相同但稍大(32 cm)的瓶以RMB 1,407,600 成交  

Provenance: From Dr. Robert I-San Lin Collection, whose grandfather was a major antique dealer during late Qing-early Republic; brought to California in 1960s.  Dr. Lin’s biography published in Journal of Artworks Authentication, ISSN 2095 - 9109.  2015, vol. 6.