A Rare Yellow-Ground Green-Enameled Bottle Vase, Qing Dynasty, 18th / 19th Century

A Rare Yellow-Ground Green-Enameled Bottle Vase, Qing Dynasty, 18th / 19th Century

the pear-shaped body supported on a short and slightly flared foot, narrowing to a slender truncated neck, the lip finished with a ring of white glaze, incised to the exterior with a dominant writhing dragon confronting a smaller dragon below, the latter skimming the surface of cresting waves, amidst flames and clouds, all reserved against a yellow ground, the base incised with an apocryphal six-character Zhengde reign mark. height 10 in., 25.4 cm. Estimate 8,000—12,000 USD

PROVENANCE: Acquired in Asia during the 1930s-40s by Dr. Anthony James Delario, Chestertown, Maryland.
Thence by descent to the present owner.

NOTE: A very similar bottle vase featuring the same motif, but with an incised Jiaqing mark, appears to be the only other comparable example sold at auction, in our Hong Kong rooms, 29th November 1978, lot 357. The comparable vase, with a ruyi-head border below the lip, provides a clue as to the original design of the present vase's upper section. A jar decorated with the identical motif, with an incised Jiaqing seal mark, was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 28th April 1997, lot 800.

Sotheby's. Chinese Works of Art. 17 Mar 09.New York www.sothebys.com Photo courtesy Sotheby's