A rare white-glazed relief-decorated vase and cover. Qianlong-Jiaqing

A rare white-glazed relief-decorated vase and cover. Qianlong-Jiaqing.  Photo Bonhams

The tall baluster vase with high slanted shoulders rising to the slightly waisted neck and galleried rim, supported on a splayed foot, deeply carved with a dense design of a composite leafy floral and fruiting scroll, including lotus, peony, pomegranate, peach and possibly finger citron, all between a ruyi-head border on the shoulders and lotus-petal panels above the foot, the neck with upright stiff leaves below the rim with a key-fret border, surmounted by a similarly-decorated domed cover with an everted rim and Buddhist lion and brocade ball finial, all under a bluish-white glaze stopping above the foot ring. 66cm (26in) high (2).- Sold for £8,400

Provenance: purchased from John Sparks Ltd., London, on 10 May 1957 for £150

The superb crisp carving of the fruit and floral scrolls on the present vase and cover may be compared to that decorating Qianlong 'mark and period' vases; compare a turquoise-glazed vase with lotus scrolls, illustrated in Qing Imperial Monochromes: The Zande Lou Collection, Shanghai, 2005, pl.47; and a pale-green-blue-glazed tianqiuping carved with a dragon and cloud design, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, pl.137.

Bonhams. Fine Chinese Art, 12 May 2011, New Bond Street www.bonhams.com