A large cloisonne enamel yenyen vase
late Ming/early Qing dynasty, 17th century

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, SYDNEY

the sides decorated with scrolling stems of lotus blooms, interrupted around the shoulders with a ruyi-shaped collar of different flowers including lotus, peony, chrysanthemum and magnolia, and extending over the trumpet shaped neck and interior of the wide flared mouth, the base of the neck with a frieze of florettes above a gilt band of archaistic dragons and a border of radiating petals, the shoulders applied with three gilt bronze phoenix suspending loose rings, and the neck flanked by a pair of large dragon-form handles, the splayed base encircled with pendent lappets, the circular bronze stand supported on three winged bixie, each crouched with head raised biting the rim, the underside with a six-character Jingtai mark in a rectangle encircled with two dragons pursuing a flaming pearl
70 cm high

• Lot Sold $75,000 (Hammer Price)
• $91,500 (Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium)

Provenance

Private Collection, Scotland, acquired in Beijing in the late 19th century
Private Collection, Sydney, by descent from the above

In 1925 the vase was shown to Mr R.L. Hobson at the British Museum in London. He wrote a note advising that the mark on the vase was 'that of the Ching T'ai period (1450-56)'. A scanned copy of this note accompanies the vase.

Show Catalogue Notes

Condition Report

The base is now detached from the vase. The flared foot of the vase has four holes for attatchment to the stand. Some small losses to enamels around the holes. Some losses to enamels and some infill around the lower bronze border of the foot.Some pitting and some very small surface chips overall.Two shoulder mounts slightly loose, the other mount with some infill around the edges.Three pins attaching the base of the neck have some surface chips around the three holes.One animal mount on the neck slightly loose and some slight surface chips around one hind foot. The mouth is slightly uneven on one side.The Interior - minor enamel chips around the gilt metal mouth rim. Some losses to enamel around the holes attatching the handles. One lotus flower with infilled petal.The Stand - has nine holes around the upper rim for attatchment to the vase. The three feet slightly loose.

Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's Australia is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Saleroom Notices regarding this sale. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS.