Rare Gourde en porcelaine à décor rouge de fer, or et polychrome. Chine, Dynastie Qing, époque Kangxi (1662-1722)

Rare Gourde en porcelaine à décor rouge de fer, or et polychrome. Chine, Dynastie Qing, époque Kangxi (1662-1722). Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

De forme globulaire aplatie, les deux faces ornées d'un large médaillon circulaire à décor de dragon à quatre griffes, le corps noueux couvert d'écailles, évoluant parmi nuages et flammes, la gueule féroce laissant voir les crocs, le pourtour délimité par une frise de treillis losangés rehaussés de pivoines, les deux côtés agrémentés de chilong tenant un lingzhi, les anses cambrées ornées de volutes ; la partie supérieure du col refaite. Hauteur: 26,5 cm. (10 3/8 in.). Estimate €40,000 - €60,000 Price Realized €49,000

Provenance: From the French noble private collection of Mr and Mrs Elie-Lefebvre, Château de Canteleu, Rouen
Mrs Denise Morin was born in Belgium in 1912. She married Baron Antoine Elie-Lefebvre in 1936. This latter, born in 1911 was an officer in the French Navy during the Second World War. He inherited the Château de Canteleu from his father in 1939.
According to the heirs who are now selling the flask, the piece came from either the Belgium estate of their grandmother or from the French family of their grandfather.

Notes: Iron-red decorated flasks like the present example are rare. See a small moonflask from Kangxi period, decorated with an allover design of chrysanthemum scroll, sold in our New York Rooms, 19 September 2006, lot 407. Another one of flattened double-gourd shape inspired by early Islamic metalwork, was sold in our Hong Kong Rooms, 30 October 2001, lot 801.

Christie's . Asian Art, 16 Dec 10, Paris www.christies.com