Famille-Verte Vases. Qing dynasty, Kangxi period

A rare Famille-Verte Relief-molded Quadrangulart Vase. Qing dynasty, Kangxi period. photo Sotheby's.

the heavily potted angular body with tapered rectangular sides beneath trapezoidal shoulder panels rising to a flared neck and lipped rim, all raised on a splayed foot, the four sides molded with figures in relief depicting the Hehe Erxian and the Three Star Gods, the shoulders and foot with raised cartouches painted with vignettes of landscapes and scholars' objects reserved on a floral ground, the neck with 'The Hundred Antiques'; height 21 in., 53.3 cm. Estimate 25,000—35,000 USD.  Lot Sold 182,500 USD

PROVENANCE! Collection of Allen J. Mercher, New York.
Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., New York, 2nd November 1956, lot 343.

NOTE: A quadrangular vase with similarly unusual raised figure decoration is in the Collection of the Musée du Louvre, Paris, illustrated by J. J. Marquet de Vasselot and M. -J. Ballot, La Céramique Chinoise, Paris, 1922, col. pl. 23; another example, formerly in the collection of Frederick J. and Antoinette H. Van Slyke, sold in our rooms, 31st May 1989, lot 106.

A Famille-Verte Rouleau Vase. Qing dynasty, Kangxi period. photo Sotheby's.

the cylindrical body beneath a straight neck and everted rim, finely painted with a courtier surrounded by a group of women gathered in a raised pavilion and observing a phoenix flying outside, the base of the vase fitted with a later ormolu mount; height including mount 19 5/8 in., 49.8 cm. Estimate 25,000—35,000 USD. Lot Sold 62,500 USD

A Famille-Verte Rouleau Vase. Qing dynasty, Kangxi period. photo Sotheby's.

the cylindrical body with slightly waisted neck and everted rim, finely enameled with a scene of a dignitary and his lady accompanied by an entourage of female attendants wearing male scholar's hats, proceeding towards an open dining room with musicians and dancers waiting on the side, the neck painted with a continuous landscape above a narrow band of ruyi-heads, the base with two lingzhi in underglaze-blue; height 17 5/8 in., 44.8 cm. Estimate ,000—9,000 USD. Lot Sold 40,000 USD

A Famille-Verte Rouleau Vase. Qing dynasty, Kangxi period. photo Sotheby's.

the cylindrical body surmounted by a tall neck and everted rim, finely painted with court ladies pursuing the 'Four Accomplishments' of reading, appreciating paintings, playing the qin and the game of weiqi, in a garden setting, beneath a continuous landscape at the rim and shoulder; height 17 7/8 in., 45.4 cm. Estimate 5,000—7,000 USD.. Lot Sold 25,000 USD

NOTE! A pair of ormolu-mounted vases decorated with the same subject and with the same continuous landscape around the shoulder, in place of the more typical diaper border, was sold in our London rooms, 1st July 1969, lot 191

A Famille-Verte Vase. Qing dynasty, Kangxi period. photo Sotheby's.

of elongated ovoid form, beneath a waisted neck and flared rim, painted around the sides with a scene of two scholar officials crossing a bridge to present themselves to Chang E, the Moon Goddess in the Guang Han Palace, her mythical hare crouching at the side, all beneath four stylized shou characters on the neck; height 18 in., 45.7 cm. Estimate 10,000—15,000 USD. Lot Sold 25,000 USD

Sotheby's. Informing the Eye of the Collector: Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art from J.T. Tai & Co. 22 Mar 11. New York www.sothebys.com