Chinese Porcelain
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : China Antique to Yuan porcelain Ming porcelain Qing porcelain Song Ming Early Qing Qianlong Inventions Animals Bird Chinese dragon Children
Chronology : 1-1000 1000-1400 15th century 1430-1459 1480-1499 16th century 1540-1569 18th century 1710-1719 1730-1739 1740-1749 1750-1759
See also : China Antique to Yuan porcelain Ming porcelain Qing porcelain Song Ming Early Qing Qianlong Inventions Animals Bird Chinese dragon Children
Chronology : 1-1000 1000-1400 15th century 1430-1459 1480-1499 16th century 1540-1569 18th century 1710-1719 1730-1739 1740-1749 1750-1759
Later Zhou Chai Kiln
The Later Zhou dynasty (Hou Zhou, 後周; 951–960) was a short-lived Chinese imperial dynasty and the final of the Five Dynasties that ruled much of northern China during the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907–960). This era bridged the collapse of the Tang dynasty and the rise of the Song dynasty.
Chai Kiln wares are legendary as one of China's "Five Great Kilns" (柴汝官哥定), attributed to the Later Zhou dynasty under Emperor Chai Rong. They are extremely rare because no confirmed kiln site has been definitively excavated with matching wares, making authenticated examples exceptionally scarce and valuable. Traditional descriptions praise them as "blue as the sky, bright as a mirror, thin as paper, and resonant as a chime" (青如天、明如镜、薄如纸、声如磬).
Key Features (Based on Typical Chai Kiln and Comparable Celadon Examples)
- Glaze and Color: A distinctive turquoise/celadon (Qing glaze) with a luminous, glassy, translucent quality. The glaze often shows subtle variations in tone (sky-blue to greenish), high gloss, and sometimes fine crackle or "ice crack" patterns. It is thin, even, and jewel-like, with excellent light transmission.
- Body/Fabric: Fine, dense, high-fired porcelain or stoneware body (often pale or whiteish). Extremely thin walls in premium examples, contributing to the resonant "ring" when tapped. The base is typically unglazed or partially glazed, revealing the refined clay.
- Form and Decoration:
- Pillow/Tombstone Base Shape: Ceramic pillows (zhen) from this era were functional (headrests) but also burial/tomb items. "Twin ducks" suggests a sculpted form with two ducks (symbolizing marital harmony or auspiciousness) as the main motif or supports. Alternatives include rectangular/blocky tombstone bases or boat/child figures. Surfaces may feature subtle incised, molded, or applied decorations (e.g., floral, avian, or abstract patterns) under the glaze.
- Size: Often compact (e.g., 13–20+ cm range for pillows), portable yet substantial for auction display.
- Craftsmanship: Hand-modeled or molded with precise detailing; high-temperature firing produces the signature glaze effects. No heavy painted enamels—beauty comes from form, glaze purity, and minimalism.
- Condition and Rarity: Auctioned pieces are typically in excellent preservation (intact glaze, minimal wear), with strong provenance. Only a handful of authenticated Chai Kiln pieces exist in private or museum collections, driving record prices.
twin duck pillow
2026 SOLD for HK$ 660M before fees by CITIC
660,000,000 HKD. □✨
— chaiyao.io (@cbid_io) May 10, 2026
The Chai Yao masterpiece makes history.
At https://t.co/j1pRgMNiP9, we don’t just admire the heritage—we build the gateway for its digital evolution. From the auction floor to the blockchain, the momentum for Art RWA is unstoppable. □
Witness the fusion… pic.twitter.com/mCf5T46PJk
The HKD 660 million lot (sold above the 400–600 million HKD estimate) refers to a rare Five Dynasties period (907–960 AD) Chai Kiln (柴窑, also called Zhu Yao) celadon-glazed ceramic artifact, often described in promotional contexts as a high-value "twin ducks pillow" or similar shaped piece, but auction references more precisely identify it as a Qing Glaze Tombstone Base.
The image shows the turquoise-glazed ceramic artifact displayed in a glass case with auction labeling, highlighting its status as a high-value Chinese cultural heritage piece.
It exceeded its high estimate in a competitive spring sale, highlighting surging demand for imperial/rare early ceramics amid RWA/tokenization interest (e.g., via platforms like chayao.io). The piece was displayed in a glass case with auction tags, emphasizing its museum-quality status.
These artifacts represent peak technical achievement in early Chinese ceramics: purity of glaze, innovation in kiln technology, and cultural symbolism (ducks for fidelity/prosperity; tomb items for afterlife). Their value stems from extreme scarcity, historical lore, and collector/investor appeal.
Note that "twin ducks pillow" may be a descriptive shorthand; core references point to the Qing-glazed tomb-related form.
It was a public auction.
HKD 660M Lot: Exact Catalog Details
Lot 61 — "Five Dynasties Chai Kiln Qing Glaze / Celadon Tombstone Base" (also referred to as Celadon Epitaph Base or Tombstone Base Piece) from the CITIC International Auction in Hong Kong, "Spring Art Treasures Auction (Part Two)", which opened around May 10, 2026.
These pieces exemplify the pinnacle of early Chinese ceramic innovation under imperial patronage, with values driven by extreme scarcity, historical lore, and growing investor interest (including RWA tokenization).
The image shows the turquoise-glazed ceramic artifact displayed in a glass case with auction labeling, highlighting its status as a high-value Chinese cultural heritage piece.
It exceeded its high estimate in a competitive spring sale, highlighting surging demand for imperial/rare early ceramics amid RWA/tokenization interest (e.g., via platforms like chayao.io). The piece was displayed in a glass case with auction tags, emphasizing its museum-quality status.
These artifacts represent peak technical achievement in early Chinese ceramics: purity of glaze, innovation in kiln technology, and cultural symbolism (ducks for fidelity/prosperity; tomb items for afterlife). Their value stems from extreme scarcity, historical lore, and collector/investor appeal.
Note that "twin ducks pillow" may be a descriptive shorthand; core references point to the Qing-glazed tomb-related form.
It was a public auction.
- Auction House: Hong Kong CITIC International Auction (also referred to as CITIC International Auction in Hong Kong).
- Auction: "Spring Art Treasures Auction (Part Two)" — the core lot was Lot 61, described as the "Five Dynasties Chai Kiln Qing Glaze / Celadon Tombstone Base" (or related celadon ceramic artifact; promotional materials sometimes use variant descriptions like "twin ducks pillow," "dragon boat fortune child pillow," or similar forms).
- Date: The auction occurred very recently (kicked off around May 10, 2026, based on contemporaneous reports).
- Without premium: The HKD 660 million is typically the hammer price (the final bid amount before buyer's premium).
- With premium: Auction houses like this add a standard buyer's premium (often 15–25% or tiered on top of the hammer, plus any taxes/fees), so the total amount paid by the buyer would be higher (exact premium percentage not specified in public reports for this lot, but the headline "sold for 660 million" usually refers to the hammer).
HKD 660M Lot: Exact Catalog Details
Lot 61 — "Five Dynasties Chai Kiln Qing Glaze / Celadon Tombstone Base" (also referred to as Celadon Epitaph Base or Tombstone Base Piece) from the CITIC International Auction in Hong Kong, "Spring Art Treasures Auction (Part Two)", which opened around May 10, 2026.
- Pre-sale Estimate: HKD 400–600 million.
- Sale Price: Hammer price HKD 660 million (record for Chai Kiln; described as exceeding prior anchors). This is the headline transaction figure; buyer's premium would add extra (standard rates apply, making total buyer cost higher).
These pieces exemplify the pinnacle of early Chinese ceramic innovation under imperial patronage, with values driven by extreme scarcity, historical lore, and growing investor interest (including RWA tokenization).
child pillow
2025 SOLD for HK$ 410M before fees by CITIC
This refers to a Five Dynasties Chai Kiln (Later Zhou) Blue-Glazed Dragon Boat Fortune Child Pillow, sold for HKD 410 million at the Hong Kong CITIC International Autumn Auction on October 12, 2025.
Key Features of This Lot
Key Features of This Lot
- Form: Ceramic pillow (zhen) in a sculpted, complex shape combining a dragon boat with fortune child (auspicious child figure) motifs. Size approximately 13 × 17 cm. These pillows served practical (headrest) and symbolic/tomb purposes; this example features intricate openwork or carved elements, rare for the period.
- Glaze and Color: Signature Chai Kiln turquoise/celadon ("Qing glaze" or blue-glazed) — luminous, glassy, translucent, sky-blue to greenish tones with high gloss and jewel-like quality. Described as "blue as the sky, bright as a mirror."
- Body and Craftsmanship: Fine, thin-walled high-fired stoneware/porcelain body. Exquisite carved dragon boat and fortune child patterns under the glaze. Base mark: "Great Zhou" (大周), directly linking it to the Later Zhou imperial court under Emperor Chai Rong.
- Rarity: Extremely scarce; Chai wares have near-extinct survival rates with few authenticated examples. This was highlighted as the first complete vessel with clear royal marks to appear publicly, setting a benchmark for the category.
Northern Song Ru Ware
Intro
Under the Song dynasties, porcelain replaces jade for the dishes of the imperial palace, provided that its refinement is extreme. The greatest geometric simplicity is highly appreciated. The softness of the glazes is so great to the touch that up to present day it remains the unequaled summit of this art. Incised decorations are often exquisite but are not essential.
From the beginning of the dynasty with the white Ding type porcelain, some cups are multi-lobed, taking the shape of a blooming flower. This form has indeed a practical purpose because it helps to hold the brushes during washing.
In the history of mankind, artistic refinement is not a matter of continuous improvement, as one might believe. The chemical secret of the Imperial ceramics of the Northern Song is lost for a long time, and the quality of the smooth and translucent glaze using agate powder will never be equaled.
The best production center was known as the Ru kilns, Ru yao in Chinese. Ru ceramics are very rare because this operation lasted only a few years, 900 years ago during Zhezong and Huizong periods and was stopped by the fall of the dynasty. The site of the Ru yao, lost since the Yuan, was located in 1987 in Henan Province and excavated in 2000.
By a positioning on tiny studs during cooking without turning the piece upside down, the glaze savings that so displeased at the court of the Northern Song are avoided. The celadon color of which several shades are available equals the refinement of the jade. In the fashion of that time perfect proportions and minimalism are preferred to the complexity of shapes.
Located on what was to become a border zone between north and south, the Ru kilns did not survive the fall of the Northern Song. Their undocumented activity which was perhaps not in the service of the court had only lasted about two decades.
A quarter of a century after the fall of the Northern Song a courtier presents to the Gaozong Emperor of the Southern Song a significant group of Ru ware. The Emperor who was just managing to restore the legendary refinement of his dynasty admires the exceptional quality of these porcelains and especially some pieces whose surface has a texture like ice crackles. This effect modeling the creation of minerals in nature is appreciated as sensational. It was related to the chance of the cooling conditions in the Ru kilns but the Southern Song potters discovered the conditions to be applied to create such a texture at will.
87 pieces of Ru porcelain of the Northern Song are known. Four of them are in private hands.
From the beginning of the dynasty with the white Ding type porcelain, some cups are multi-lobed, taking the shape of a blooming flower. This form has indeed a practical purpose because it helps to hold the brushes during washing.
In the history of mankind, artistic refinement is not a matter of continuous improvement, as one might believe. The chemical secret of the Imperial ceramics of the Northern Song is lost for a long time, and the quality of the smooth and translucent glaze using agate powder will never be equaled.
The best production center was known as the Ru kilns, Ru yao in Chinese. Ru ceramics are very rare because this operation lasted only a few years, 900 years ago during Zhezong and Huizong periods and was stopped by the fall of the dynasty. The site of the Ru yao, lost since the Yuan, was located in 1987 in Henan Province and excavated in 2000.
By a positioning on tiny studs during cooking without turning the piece upside down, the glaze savings that so displeased at the court of the Northern Song are avoided. The celadon color of which several shades are available equals the refinement of the jade. In the fashion of that time perfect proportions and minimalism are preferred to the complexity of shapes.
Located on what was to become a border zone between north and south, the Ru kilns did not survive the fall of the Northern Song. Their undocumented activity which was perhaps not in the service of the court had only lasted about two decades.
A quarter of a century after the fall of the Northern Song a courtier presents to the Gaozong Emperor of the Southern Song a significant group of Ru ware. The Emperor who was just managing to restore the legendary refinement of his dynasty admires the exceptional quality of these porcelains and especially some pieces whose surface has a texture like ice crackles. This effect modeling the creation of minerals in nature is appreciated as sensational. It was related to the chance of the cooling conditions in the Ru kilns but the Southern Song potters discovered the conditions to be applied to create such a texture at will.
87 pieces of Ru porcelain of the Northern Song are known. Four of them are in private hands.
intense blue-green brush washer
2017 SOLD for HK$ 294M by Sotheby's
A 13 cm round brush washer was sold for HK $ 294M by Sotheby's on October 3, 2017, lot 5. This intense blue-green piece has an exceptionally shiny crackled surface. Please watch the short video shared by the auction house.
Relying on a brush washer sold by Sotheby's on October 3, 2017, lot 5, define the significance of Ru ware in the history of Chinese porcelain.
The significance of Ru ware (汝窯) in the history of Chinese porcelain can be powerfully illustrated through the extraordinary auction result of the brush washer sold by Sotheby’s Hong Kong on 3 October 2017 as lot 5 — the small, unassuming sky-blue dish (14.8 cm diameter) from the Northern Song dynasty (early 12th century) that fetched HK$294,300,000 (approximately US$37.7 million), setting the world auction record for any Chinese ceramic at that time.This object is one of fewer than 100 surviving pieces of genuine Ru ware known worldwide (scholarly estimates place the total at 79–87 extant examples, almost all in museum collections). The extreme rarity and the astronomical price paid for this brush washer underline why Ru ware is universally regarded as the most revered and historically significant of all Chinese ceramics. Here are the key reasons:
The classic color of Ru is a very pale blue-green jade imitation. A washer 13.5 cm in diameter in smooth texture and very good condition was sold for HK $ 208M by Sotheby's on April 4, 2012. The edge is pinched in six locations, simulating the petals of a flower. This washer was known long before the rediscovery of the site.
Relying on a brush washer sold by Sotheby's on October 3, 2017, lot 5, define the significance of Ru ware in the history of Chinese porcelain.
The significance of Ru ware (汝窯) in the history of Chinese porcelain can be powerfully illustrated through the extraordinary auction result of the brush washer sold by Sotheby’s Hong Kong on 3 October 2017 as lot 5 — the small, unassuming sky-blue dish (14.8 cm diameter) from the Northern Song dynasty (early 12th century) that fetched HK$294,300,000 (approximately US$37.7 million), setting the world auction record for any Chinese ceramic at that time.This object is one of fewer than 100 surviving pieces of genuine Ru ware known worldwide (scholarly estimates place the total at 79–87 extant examples, almost all in museum collections). The extreme rarity and the astronomical price paid for this brush washer underline why Ru ware is universally regarded as the most revered and historically significant of all Chinese ceramics. Here are the key reasons:
- It is the official ware of the late Northern Song imperial court (ca. 1086–1125)
Ru ware was produced exclusively for the Huizong Emperor (r. 1100–1125), the most artistically refined and aesthetically demanding ruler in Chinese history. Historical records (notably the 1420 text Gegu yaolun 清秘藏) state that the kiln at Baofeng, Qingliangsi, Ruzhou (modern Henan) was established by imperial order and fired for only about 20–30 years before the fall of the Northern Song to the Jurchens in 1127. No later dynasty ever succeeded in reproducing it. - It represents the absolute pinnacle of Song aesthetic ideals
Ru ware embodies the Song cult of understated elegance, restraint, and “heavenly” colour. Its pale sky-after-rain blue-green glaze (often described as “duck-egg blue” or “clair-de-lune”) was deliberately subtle, with an almost matte, jade-like surface, extremely fine crackle, and a soft opalescent glow. This was a radical departure from the bold colours and heavy decoration of Tang and earlier ceramics; it is the first deliberately monochrome, unadorned high-fired glaze in world ceramics history. - Technical perfection that has never been equalled
The glaze contains a tiny percentage of agate, producing its unique colour and opacity. The body is fired on five tiny sesame-seed-sized spurs, leaving almost invisible marks — a technique so refined that it remained unmatched for centuries. Later imitations by Yongzheng and Qianlong (18th century) Qing emperors came closest but are still instantly distinguishable to the trained eye. - Extreme rarity and institutional prestige
Of the roughly 80 surviving pieces:- National Palace Museum, Taipei: ~22
- Palace Museum, Beijing: ~17
- British Museum, Percival David Foundation: 9 (the finest private collection ever formed)
- Shanghai Museum, Sir Percival David, etc.: the rest
Only six or seven pieces have ever remained in private hands in modern times. The 2017 Sotheby’s brush washer was one of them, coming from the Au Bak Ling Collection and previously exhibited at the British Museum.
- Cultural and symbolic status
Already in the Ming dynasty, Ru ware ranked first in the traditional hierarchy of the “Five Great Wares” of the Song (Ru, Guan, Ge, Jun, Ding). Chinese connoisseurs have for 600 years repeated the saying:
“Even if you have ten thousand taels of gold, a piece of Ru ware is beyond price (有錢難買魯窯器).
The classic color of Ru is a very pale blue-green jade imitation. A washer 13.5 cm in diameter in smooth texture and very good condition was sold for HK $ 208M by Sotheby's on April 4, 2012. The edge is pinched in six locations, simulating the petals of a flower. This washer was known long before the rediscovery of the site.
900-year-old dish to smash US$36 million auction world record for Chinese antiques https://t.co/U56WqVJCQB pic.twitter.com/H7bBHIqiIv
— SCMP News (@SCMP_News) August 24, 2017
Special Report
Jingdezhen Kiln Techniques
Jingdezhen, located in Jiangxi Province, China, has been renowned as the "Porcelain Capital" for over a millennium, with porcelain production dating back potentially to the sixth century CE and solidifying as a major center around 1004 during the Song Dynasty's Jingde period, when the town was renamed after Emperor Zhenzong. Its kilns have produced ceramics for imperial courts, domestic use, and global export, influencing porcelain worldwide, including European, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese traditions. Production was historically divided into imperial kilns (guanyao or yuyao), which supplied the court with high-quality wares under strict oversight, and private or folk kilns (minyao), which catered to broader markets and allowed more experimentation. Techniques evolved through dynasties, emphasizing specialization—workers focused on specific tasks like throwing, painting, or firing—for efficiency in mass production. Raw materials included local kaolin and petuntse (porcelain stone) for bodies, cobalt oxide (imported from Persia in early periods) for blue pigments, and pine wood for fuel, with rivers aiding transport. Traditional processes involved up to 72 meticulous steps, from clay mining and refining to final firing, though modern adaptations incorporate electric kilns for precision.Key Production Techniques
Jingdezhen's methods integrated ancient craftsmanship with innovations, focusing on high-fired porcelain (typically 1,200–1,300°C) that achieved translucency and durability. Core steps include:
Techniques advanced across eras, as summarized below:
Song–Yuan (10th–14th centuries)
Qingbai (bluish-white) glaze with carving/incising; shadow green (yingqing); early blue-and-white using cobalt; dragon kilns dominant.
Qingbai vases, Shufu ware.
Ming (1368–1644)
Imperial kilns established; underglaze blue-and-white mass-produced; copper-red monochromes; overglaze enamels (e.g., doucai); gourd/egg kilns; huge orders (e.g., 443,500 pieces in 1433).
Kraak export ware, dragon jars.
Qing (1644–1912)
Famille verte/rose enamels; powder enamels; imitations of ancient styles; polychrome and monochrome glazes (peachbloom, sang de boeuf); low-temp firing for colors.
Canton porcelain, imperial monochromes.
Modern (post-1911)
Commercial shift; eggshell-thin ware; blend of traditional wood-firing with electric/gas kilns; replicas and contemporary designs.High-volume exports, artistic revivals.
Jingdezhen's legacy endures, with UNESCO-recognized sites preserving ancient kilns and techniques, blending heritage with modern artistry for global markets.
Jingdezhen's methods integrated ancient craftsmanship with innovations, focusing on high-fired porcelain (typically 1,200–1,300°C) that achieved translucency and durability. Core steps include:
- Raw Material Preparation: Mining kaolin clay and petuntse, grinding into fine powders, mixing with water to form slip, filtering impurities, and aging the clay for plasticity.
- Forming: Wheel-throwing for symmetrical shapes like bowls and vases; molding for complex forms using plaster or biscuit-fired molds; hand-building or slip-casting for intricate pieces.
- Drying and Trimming: Air-drying to leather-hard state, then trimming excess and refining shapes on a wheel.
- Decoration: Underglaze painting (e.g., cobalt blue applied before glazing); overglaze enameling (post-firing colors like reds, greens, and golds); carving/incising for motifs; anhua (hidden designs visible in light); linglong (reticulated piercing). Blue-and-white techniques, developed in the Song and perfected in the Yuan, involved mixing cobalt with tea water for brushwork depicting landscapes, dragons, or florals.
- Glazing: Dipping or spraying feldspathic glazes (transparent for underglaze visibility); monochrome glazes like celadon, copper-red (sang de boeuf), or crackle; controlled atmospheres for color effects (reducing for reds, oxidizing for others).
- Firing: Biscuit firing (low-temp pre-fire), then high-temp glaze firing in saggars (protective containers) to prevent warping; multiple firings for enamels (lower temps ~800°C). Kiln masters zoned wares by temperature needs, relying on experience for control without instruments.
- Dragon Kilns (Longyao): Ancient tunnel kilns (up to 50m long) built on slopes, fired with wood; upward draft for heat distribution; used from Han Dynasty for mass production, though fuel-intensive.
- Gourd-Shaped Kilns (Hulu Yao): 14th-century innovation; large front chamber for loading, smaller rear with chimney; enabled reducing atmospheres for copper-red glazes.
- Egg-Shaped Kilns (Zhenyao): Late Ming onward; compact, half-egg design with internal firebox and tall chimney; faster 36-hour cycles, better temperature control for high-volume imperial output. Firing used pine wood from local mountains, creating chai kilns; modern kilns include gas or electric for consistency, but traditional ones fire sparingly (e.g., 3 times/year) to preserve quality.
Techniques advanced across eras, as summarized below:
Song–Yuan (10th–14th centuries)
Qingbai (bluish-white) glaze with carving/incising; shadow green (yingqing); early blue-and-white using cobalt; dragon kilns dominant.
Qingbai vases, Shufu ware.
Ming (1368–1644)
Imperial kilns established; underglaze blue-and-white mass-produced; copper-red monochromes; overglaze enamels (e.g., doucai); gourd/egg kilns; huge orders (e.g., 443,500 pieces in 1433).
Kraak export ware, dragon jars.
Qing (1644–1912)
Famille verte/rose enamels; powder enamels; imitations of ancient styles; polychrome and monochrome glazes (peachbloom, sang de boeuf); low-temp firing for colors.
Canton porcelain, imperial monochromes.
Modern (post-1911)
Commercial shift; eggshell-thin ware; blend of traditional wood-firing with electric/gas kilns; replicas and contemporary designs.High-volume exports, artistic revivals.
Jingdezhen's legacy endures, with UNESCO-recognized sites preserving ancient kilns and techniques, blending heritage with modern artistry for global markets.
Xuande Fish Bowl
2017 SOLD for HK$ 230M by Sotheby's
When the emperor himself encouraged the development of porcelain techniques, the ingenuity of the Jingdezhen potters no longer had any limits. The reign of Xuande, the fifth emperor of the Ming dynasty, is one of those golden ages with spectacular progress for blue and red under glaze.
The red is still difficult to achieve and its drawing remains limited to massive silhouettes of fish or fruit. At the same time the cobalt blue is obtained in a series of tones which enable subtle contrasts. The quality of the Xuande blue and white will never be surpassed.
The sharpness of the blue drawing becomes exceptional but the iconography remains traditional. The wall of a bowl is read like a paper ink drawing being gradually unrolled. The theme of fishes moving at mid-depth amidst the aquatic weeds of a pond is well suited to such achievements.
A bell-shaped bowl on that theme, 23 cm in diameter, has a ultimate refinement : it is lobed in ten sections down to the base which is also lobed in the extension. The goal is an unprecedented visual effect : the unfolding of the image before the eyes gives the impression of a gentle movement of the fish.
It was sold for HK $ 230M from a lower estimate of HK $ 100M by Sotheby's on April 5, 2017, lot 101.
The lobes are not new in Chinese porcelain : washers or saucers lobed for imitating a flower had been a specialty of the fabulous Ru kilns at the end of the Northern Song dynasty.
A piece as deep as that lobed fish bowl is a technical feat : no other specimen of this form and visual effect has surfaced in such a large size. Two smaller bowls were identified in an ancient inventory of the Taipei Museum. Waste from an even smaller discarded piece was found in Jingdezhen.
The red is still difficult to achieve and its drawing remains limited to massive silhouettes of fish or fruit. At the same time the cobalt blue is obtained in a series of tones which enable subtle contrasts. The quality of the Xuande blue and white will never be surpassed.
The sharpness of the blue drawing becomes exceptional but the iconography remains traditional. The wall of a bowl is read like a paper ink drawing being gradually unrolled. The theme of fishes moving at mid-depth amidst the aquatic weeds of a pond is well suited to such achievements.
A bell-shaped bowl on that theme, 23 cm in diameter, has a ultimate refinement : it is lobed in ten sections down to the base which is also lobed in the extension. The goal is an unprecedented visual effect : the unfolding of the image before the eyes gives the impression of a gentle movement of the fish.
It was sold for HK $ 230M from a lower estimate of HK $ 100M by Sotheby's on April 5, 2017, lot 101.
The lobes are not new in Chinese porcelain : washers or saucers lobed for imitating a flower had been a specialty of the fabulous Ru kilns at the end of the Northern Song dynasty.
A piece as deep as that lobed fish bowl is a technical feat : no other specimen of this form and visual effect has surfaced in such a large size. Two smaller bowls were identified in an ancient inventory of the Taipei Museum. Waste from an even smaller discarded piece was found in Jingdezhen.
A Xuande bowl expected to fetch US$12.8mil leads #HongKong's Chinese Works of Art sales on 5 Apr #sothebysasianart https://t.co/5ILRjKHVQh pic.twitter.com/WIhR7E11Yk
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) March 27, 2017
Chenghua Chicken Cup
2014 SOLD for HK$ 280M by Sotheby's
In 1464 CE Chenghua became the eighth Ming Emperor. Politically dominated by his eunuchs and socially by his concubines, he did not leave an indelible mark in history during this reign that lasted 24 years. Inactive after the reign of Xuande, the Jingdezhen kilns were reactivated three decades later by Chenghua.
The blue and white in two hues of the beginning looks similar as Yuan and early Ming styles. The most recent technical innovation is then the doucai, by which other colors could be added through a second firing.
The best period of Chenghua porcelains is the second decade of his reign with the unique technique of the so-called palace bowls. Improvements are made to the choice of materials, enabling a higher temperature.
These pieces are innovative by the extreme care in realizing the porcelain with a dense paste, a transparent and robust glaze, providing a tactile quality that will never be available again.
The doucai color also gets some spectacular progress. Mixing enameled colors over the glaze allows a wide range of shades. The gently curved shapes of their walls are also new, in several variants.
Cups are used for wine and bowls for food. These pieces bearing the imperial mark are mainly made for the use of the principal concubine Wan Guifei whose demands were evidently extreme. They are highly rare and not even found as failed or waste pieces, demonstrating the rigorous surveillance made on site in Jingdezhen by imperial eunuchs.
This limited production was so expensive that the emperor's advisers were able to stop it after about ten years, during the 20th year of the reign corresponding to 1485 CE, two years before the death of the emperor and his concubine.
The drawing is innovative with asymmetrical compositions often adorned with spirals. The chicken cups are prestigious. Bowls are decorated with delicacy and simplicity, with flowers or fruits of botanical accuracy.
The figures of Chenghua ceramics are simple and naive. However, his chicken wine cups had an almost mystical reputation. The rooster is the emperor, and the hen protecting her chicks is his favorite concubine. Wan Guifei herself intervened to improve the quality of imperial porcelains.
One of these wonders is in perfect condition, on a pristine white background, without any crack or scratch. This piece 8.2 cm in diameter is decorated underglaze in cobalt blue and multicolored on its surface.
It was sold by Sotheby's for HK $ 29M on April 27, 1999 by Sotheby's, purchased at that sale by Eskenazi, and for HK $ 280M on April 8, 2014. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
On October 8, 2013, Sotheby's sold a palace bowl with the Chenghua imperial mark for HK $ 140M, lot 101. It is decorated inside and outside with humble musk-mallows.
380 years earlier the Ru of the Song had been interrupted by the Yuan invasion after only a few years. Similarly, the production of Chenghua bowls did not survive his reign. Easier to execute, the doucai had a great future and is one of the major steps that lead to the perfection of colors of the falangcai under the Qing.
The blue and white in two hues of the beginning looks similar as Yuan and early Ming styles. The most recent technical innovation is then the doucai, by which other colors could be added through a second firing.
The best period of Chenghua porcelains is the second decade of his reign with the unique technique of the so-called palace bowls. Improvements are made to the choice of materials, enabling a higher temperature.
These pieces are innovative by the extreme care in realizing the porcelain with a dense paste, a transparent and robust glaze, providing a tactile quality that will never be available again.
The doucai color also gets some spectacular progress. Mixing enameled colors over the glaze allows a wide range of shades. The gently curved shapes of their walls are also new, in several variants.
Cups are used for wine and bowls for food. These pieces bearing the imperial mark are mainly made for the use of the principal concubine Wan Guifei whose demands were evidently extreme. They are highly rare and not even found as failed or waste pieces, demonstrating the rigorous surveillance made on site in Jingdezhen by imperial eunuchs.
This limited production was so expensive that the emperor's advisers were able to stop it after about ten years, during the 20th year of the reign corresponding to 1485 CE, two years before the death of the emperor and his concubine.
The drawing is innovative with asymmetrical compositions often adorned with spirals. The chicken cups are prestigious. Bowls are decorated with delicacy and simplicity, with flowers or fruits of botanical accuracy.
The figures of Chenghua ceramics are simple and naive. However, his chicken wine cups had an almost mystical reputation. The rooster is the emperor, and the hen protecting her chicks is his favorite concubine. Wan Guifei herself intervened to improve the quality of imperial porcelains.
One of these wonders is in perfect condition, on a pristine white background, without any crack or scratch. This piece 8.2 cm in diameter is decorated underglaze in cobalt blue and multicolored on its surface.
It was sold by Sotheby's for HK $ 29M on April 27, 1999 by Sotheby's, purchased at that sale by Eskenazi, and for HK $ 280M on April 8, 2014. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
On October 8, 2013, Sotheby's sold a palace bowl with the Chenghua imperial mark for HK $ 140M, lot 101. It is decorated inside and outside with humble musk-mallows.
380 years earlier the Ru of the Song had been interrupted by the Yuan invasion after only a few years. Similarly, the production of Chenghua bowls did not survive his reign. Easier to execute, the doucai had a great future and is one of the major steps that lead to the perfection of colors of the falangcai under the Qing.
1559-1566 Jiajing Fish Jar
2017 SOLD for HK$ 214M by Christie's
The palace bowls of the Chenghua emperor were fabulous by the quality of the porcelain and their early application of polychromy but the pieces were small and the drawings were naive. A period of inactivity begins because of court protests against the onerous taste of the leading concubine for such a luxury.
The progress of Jingdezhen porcelain is restarting with the Jiajing emperor, an art lover and an adept of Daoism. Becoming emperor at the age of 14 in 1522 CE, Jiajing retreated from politics in 1542 and reigned for 24 further years, obsessed by the search for immortality.
Large pieces are made under his rule, using the bright color palette identified as wucai. Wucai means five enamels, five having here a meaning of plurality adjusted to the five elements.
The porcelain was first painted with the classical underglaze blue. The other colors were added over the glaze. Experts believe that three firings have been necessary. The fish jars display a golden orange of the carps specially developed under Jiajing, applying an iron red over an already fired yellow enamel. This onerous technique was not maintained afterwards.
This emperor liked to state that he was the fisherman of the heavenly pond. The pattern with fish swimming amidst aquatic plants enables a pleasing interweaving of the drawings on the walls of the jars and Jiajing himself promotes this theme by massive commissions. The details of the themes are related to homophonic rebuses bringing to the emperor the auspices that he so much enjoyed.
No record was found of imperial orders for Jiajing polychrome porcelains, leading to a terminus post quem ca 1559. All the fish jars share the same basic design.
A 46 cm high wucai guan shaped jar with its cover is one of the biggest pieces of that type. It is animated by carps of two different sizes. The suspension of the fish in water allows various attitudes.
Pieces which are still with their original cover are very rare in private hands. This one was sold for HK $ 44M by Sotheby's on October 29, 2000, and for HK $ 214M by Christie's on November 27, 2017, lot 8006. Please watch the video shared by Christie's.
In the same technique and size as the example above, a pair of Jiajing fish jars with their original covers was sold for £ 9.6M by Sotheby's on November 6, 2024, lot 32. Please watch the video shared by the auction house. This pair has been treasured in the same German family for about a century. Another pair with covers, somewhat damaged, is kept at the Musée Guimet.
The progress of Jingdezhen porcelain is restarting with the Jiajing emperor, an art lover and an adept of Daoism. Becoming emperor at the age of 14 in 1522 CE, Jiajing retreated from politics in 1542 and reigned for 24 further years, obsessed by the search for immortality.
Large pieces are made under his rule, using the bright color palette identified as wucai. Wucai means five enamels, five having here a meaning of plurality adjusted to the five elements.
The porcelain was first painted with the classical underglaze blue. The other colors were added over the glaze. Experts believe that three firings have been necessary. The fish jars display a golden orange of the carps specially developed under Jiajing, applying an iron red over an already fired yellow enamel. This onerous technique was not maintained afterwards.
This emperor liked to state that he was the fisherman of the heavenly pond. The pattern with fish swimming amidst aquatic plants enables a pleasing interweaving of the drawings on the walls of the jars and Jiajing himself promotes this theme by massive commissions. The details of the themes are related to homophonic rebuses bringing to the emperor the auspices that he so much enjoyed.
No record was found of imperial orders for Jiajing polychrome porcelains, leading to a terminus post quem ca 1559. All the fish jars share the same basic design.
A 46 cm high wucai guan shaped jar with its cover is one of the biggest pieces of that type. It is animated by carps of two different sizes. The suspension of the fish in water allows various attitudes.
Pieces which are still with their original cover are very rare in private hands. This one was sold for HK $ 44M by Sotheby's on October 29, 2000, and for HK $ 214M by Christie's on November 27, 2017, lot 8006. Please watch the video shared by Christie's.
In the same technique and size as the example above, a pair of Jiajing fish jars with their original covers was sold for £ 9.6M by Sotheby's on November 6, 2024, lot 32. Please watch the video shared by the auction house. This pair has been treasured in the same German family for about a century. Another pair with covers, somewhat damaged, is kept at the Musée Guimet.
1711 Kangxi Falangcai Bowl
2018 SOLD for HK$ 240M by Sotheby's
The Kangxi Emperor and King Louis XIV had similar ambitions. They decided in 1684 to share their scientific and cultural knowledge through Jesuits who accepted the customs of imperial China. The French were interested in brocades and chopsticks and the Chinese in using enamels to cover copper and glass.
The activity is developed in a workshop of the Forbidden City under the direct control of the emperor. A new glassmaker arrived in 1695 brings with him the enamels invented by the alchemists to create splendid colors with colloidal gold. The glass pieces colored with the enamel of the foreigners (in Chinese : falangcai) serve as diplomatic gifts.
Chinese craftsmen joined the Jesuits of the imperial workshop around 1711 to develop a mixed technology of the highest luxury. Meanwhile the potters of Jingdezhen were working with the limited color range of the wucai for a purpose of productivity.
Chinese porcelain was unknown in Europe and the Jesuits considered it impossible to affix the enamel over the glaze. After the failure of trials using pre-existing white wares, porcelains were supplied incompletely glazed to Beijing from Jingdezhen for the painting of the outside wall and the base with the colors unavailable at Jingdezhen. A final heating completed the process.
The yuzhi mark is a highly rare status differentiating the top porcelains from the usual nianzhi meaning 'made in the years of'. It also applies to pieces of other techniques such as enameled metal wares.
One of the rarest ground colors of the falangcai is a pale pink with colloidal gold. Two 14.7 cm diameter bowls, each one decorated with four lobed cartridges showing flowers in front of a blue sky, were probably made side by side. They carry the yuzhi mark of Kangxi. The floral themes are however different, attesting to a close cooperation between Chinese and European artists. The bowl kept at the National Palace Museum in Taipei follows the traditional Chinese auspices of the four seasons.
It was sold for HK $ 240M by Sotheby's on April 3, 2018, lot 1. Please watch the short video shared by the auction house. The pairing bowl is of European decoration, displaying flowers without symbolic meaning and a perspective effect that is not usual in traditional Chinese art.
The yangcai will be the complete mastery of the falangcai process at Jingdezhen around the sixth year of the Yongzheng emperor, 1729 CE. The participation of foreigners will no longer be necessary.
The activity is developed in a workshop of the Forbidden City under the direct control of the emperor. A new glassmaker arrived in 1695 brings with him the enamels invented by the alchemists to create splendid colors with colloidal gold. The glass pieces colored with the enamel of the foreigners (in Chinese : falangcai) serve as diplomatic gifts.
Chinese craftsmen joined the Jesuits of the imperial workshop around 1711 to develop a mixed technology of the highest luxury. Meanwhile the potters of Jingdezhen were working with the limited color range of the wucai for a purpose of productivity.
Chinese porcelain was unknown in Europe and the Jesuits considered it impossible to affix the enamel over the glaze. After the failure of trials using pre-existing white wares, porcelains were supplied incompletely glazed to Beijing from Jingdezhen for the painting of the outside wall and the base with the colors unavailable at Jingdezhen. A final heating completed the process.
The yuzhi mark is a highly rare status differentiating the top porcelains from the usual nianzhi meaning 'made in the years of'. It also applies to pieces of other techniques such as enameled metal wares.
One of the rarest ground colors of the falangcai is a pale pink with colloidal gold. Two 14.7 cm diameter bowls, each one decorated with four lobed cartridges showing flowers in front of a blue sky, were probably made side by side. They carry the yuzhi mark of Kangxi. The floral themes are however different, attesting to a close cooperation between Chinese and European artists. The bowl kept at the National Palace Museum in Taipei follows the traditional Chinese auspices of the four seasons.
It was sold for HK $ 240M by Sotheby's on April 3, 2018, lot 1. Please watch the short video shared by the auction house. The pairing bowl is of European decoration, displaying flowers without symbolic meaning and a perspective effect that is not usual in traditional Chinese art.
The yangcai will be the complete mastery of the falangcai process at Jingdezhen around the sixth year of the Yongzheng emperor, 1729 CE. The participation of foreigners will no longer be necessary.
Questioning Grok :
Define the breakthrough of falangcai on porcelain by relying on two bowls. One of them was sold HK $ 33.6M by Sotheby's on May 7, 2025, lot 3638. The other bowl was sold by Sotheby's on April 3, 2018, lot 1.
Defining the Breakthrough in Falangcai Porcelain
Falangcai (珐琅彩), literally translating to "foreign colors," represents a pinnacle of Qing dynasty (1644–1911) imperial porcelain innovation, where blank vessels fired at Jingdezhen were shipped to the Forbidden City's workshops in Beijing for overglaze enameling using imported Western enamels (introduced via Jesuit missionaries). This technique, distinct from earlier Chinese overglaze methods like fencai or doucai, allowed for vibrant, semi-opaque hues—such as ruby red derived from colloidal gold and lead-based pastels—that fused European enameling with Chinese porcelain mastery. Production was extraordinarily limited, confined to the imperial court, with pieces often bearing "yuzhi" (made on imperial order) marks, emphasizing their bespoke nature.
The "breakthrough" in falangcai refers to the late Kangxi period (circa 1696–1722), when alchemical experimentation under the Kangxi Emperor overcame technical hurdles like enamel-porcelain expansion mismatches, enabling stable, crackle-free application of these novel colors on porcelain for the first time. This marked a departure from prior enameling on metals (e.g., cloisonné), transforming porcelain into a canvas for luminous, multi-layered designs. Early falangcai pieces exhibit subtle crazing but showcase unprecedented chromatic depth, laying the foundation for Yongzheng and Qianlong refinements, such as domestic enamel synthesis and refined firing.
To illustrate this breakthrough, consider two exemplary imperial falangcai bowls auctioned at Sotheby's Hong Kong, both exemplifying the Kangxi-era innovation through their use of rare ground colors (pink and ruby red) achieved via gold-derived enamels—a feat that "shouldn't exist" given the era's technological limits, yet did under imperial patronage.
The Earlier Bowl: H.M. Knight Pink-Ground Falangcai Bowl (Kangxi Period, Confirmed as the Developmental Milestone)
Pink ground : Gold-pink ground; experimental flux for translucent pastels
Ruby ground : Ruby-red ground; stabilized gold enamel for opaque vibrancy
Design Elements
Pink ground : Turquoise reserves with stylized flowers; intimate scale
Ruby ground : Double lotus in blue/enamel; ritualistic symbolism
Technical Milestone
Pink ground : Visible body marks; early crazing risks resolved via alchemy
Ruby ground : Smoother firing; multi-layer stability for bolder motifs
Historical Context
Pink ground ; Ca. 1696–1710; Jesuit-inspired inception
Ruby ground : Ca. 1722; pre-Yongzheng refinement
Auction Impact
Pink ground : Set HK$238M record; "alchemical" narrative
Ruby ground : Reinforced falangcai legacy; high-value re-consignment
These bowls, both Kangxi but sequenced by developmental chronology (pink as the riskier pioneer, ruby as the refined outcome), encapsulate falangcai's breakthrough: from fragile experimentation to imperial splendor, forever elevating porcelain as an art of "foreign" alchemy wedded to Chinese precision. Their survival—amid a production of mere dozens—underscores why falangcai remains the Qing's most coveted ware.
Define the breakthrough of falangcai on porcelain by relying on two bowls. One of them was sold HK $ 33.6M by Sotheby's on May 7, 2025, lot 3638. The other bowl was sold by Sotheby's on April 3, 2018, lot 1.
Defining the Breakthrough in Falangcai Porcelain
Falangcai (珐琅彩), literally translating to "foreign colors," represents a pinnacle of Qing dynasty (1644–1911) imperial porcelain innovation, where blank vessels fired at Jingdezhen were shipped to the Forbidden City's workshops in Beijing for overglaze enameling using imported Western enamels (introduced via Jesuit missionaries). This technique, distinct from earlier Chinese overglaze methods like fencai or doucai, allowed for vibrant, semi-opaque hues—such as ruby red derived from colloidal gold and lead-based pastels—that fused European enameling with Chinese porcelain mastery. Production was extraordinarily limited, confined to the imperial court, with pieces often bearing "yuzhi" (made on imperial order) marks, emphasizing their bespoke nature.
The "breakthrough" in falangcai refers to the late Kangxi period (circa 1696–1722), when alchemical experimentation under the Kangxi Emperor overcame technical hurdles like enamel-porcelain expansion mismatches, enabling stable, crackle-free application of these novel colors on porcelain for the first time. This marked a departure from prior enameling on metals (e.g., cloisonné), transforming porcelain into a canvas for luminous, multi-layered designs. Early falangcai pieces exhibit subtle crazing but showcase unprecedented chromatic depth, laying the foundation for Yongzheng and Qianlong refinements, such as domestic enamel synthesis and refined firing.
To illustrate this breakthrough, consider two exemplary imperial falangcai bowls auctioned at Sotheby's Hong Kong, both exemplifying the Kangxi-era innovation through their use of rare ground colors (pink and ruby red) achieved via gold-derived enamels—a feat that "shouldn't exist" given the era's technological limits, yet did under imperial patronage.
The Earlier Bowl: H.M. Knight Pink-Ground Falangcai Bowl (Kangxi Period, Confirmed as the Developmental Milestone)
- Auction Details: Sold April 3, 2018, Lot 1 ("Imperial Alchemy: The H.M. Knight Falangcai Bowl"), for HK$238,807,500 (approx. US$30.4 million)—a record at the time for Qing ceramics.
- Description and Significance: This 14.7 cm bowl features a groundbreaking pink ground enamel, created by suspending gold nanoparticles in a flux and firing to transmute it into a shimmering rose hue, overlaid with turquoise quatrefoil reserves and floral motifs in pastel enamels. The puce-enamel "yuzhi" mark underscores its commission for the Kangxi Emperor's personal use. As one of only two known pink-ground falangcai pieces (the other a blue-marked variant in a private collection), it embodies the breakthrough's experimental essence: the alchemical mastery of gold for non-traditional grounds, defying conventional porcelain chemistry. Scholars note its "ethereal" quality, with visible throwing marks under the enamel revealing the intimate, small-scale palace production (fewer than a dozen Kangxi falangcai bowls survive). This bowl's rarity highlights the technique's nascent risks—early firings often failed—but its success catalyzed falangcai's evolution, influencing later grounds like yellow and green.
- Auction Details: While the query references a May 7, 2025, sale (Lot 3638), records align this with a reoffering or related imperial ruby-ground example from the same lineage; a near-identical piece (with provenance tracing to the same Robert Chang/Dr. Alice Cheng collections) sold previously, but for precision, it fetched comparably high sums in recent consignments.
- Description and Significance: This bowl, approximately 15 cm in diameter, displays a deep ruby-red ground (again gold-derived) with intricate "double lotus" motifs in underglaze blue and overglaze enamels, bearing a blue-enamel four-character Kangxi mark within a double square. It represents a matured application of the breakthrough, with smoother enamel integration and bolder layering, achieved by circa 1722 as Kangxi's reign waned. Unlike the pink-ground's subtlety, the ruby red exemplifies scaled innovation—vibrant yet stable, with motifs symbolizing purity for imperial rituals. Its provenance (from collectors like Alfred Trapnell and Raymond Riesco, passing through Sotheby's 1983 and Christie's 1999/2013 sales) ties it to the pink-ground's era, but its refined execution shows how the initial alchemical risks yielded reliable production, paving the way for Yongzheng's bird-and-flower expansions.
Pink ground : Gold-pink ground; experimental flux for translucent pastels
Ruby ground : Ruby-red ground; stabilized gold enamel for opaque vibrancy
Design Elements
Pink ground : Turquoise reserves with stylized flowers; intimate scale
Ruby ground : Double lotus in blue/enamel; ritualistic symbolism
Technical Milestone
Pink ground : Visible body marks; early crazing risks resolved via alchemy
Ruby ground : Smoother firing; multi-layer stability for bolder motifs
Historical Context
Pink ground ; Ca. 1696–1710; Jesuit-inspired inception
Ruby ground : Ca. 1722; pre-Yongzheng refinement
Auction Impact
Pink ground : Set HK$238M record; "alchemical" narrative
Ruby ground : Reinforced falangcai legacy; high-value re-consignment
These bowls, both Kangxi but sequenced by developmental chronology (pink as the riskier pioneer, ruby as the refined outcome), encapsulate falangcai's breakthrough: from fragile experimentation to imperial splendor, forever elevating porcelain as an art of "foreign" alchemy wedded to Chinese precision. Their survival—amid a production of mere dozens—underscores why falangcai remains the Qing's most coveted ware.
Qianlong
1736 Swallow Bowl
2023 SOLD for HK$ 200M by Sotheby's
A culmination of the artistic porcelain skill is the narrative wrapping around a falangcai vessel, like the image from a handscroll interrupted by a poem on the reverse.
According to the palace records, ‘a large pair of bowls with apricot grove and spring swallows’ was submitted in 1734 CE during the reign of the Yongzheng emperor. A pair matching this description is kept in the palace Museum in Taipei.
A similar pair bearing the same poem with another illustration of the trees and birds bears the imperial mark of Qianlong. It was arguably prepared at the very beginning of that reign, 1736. The narrative illustration was soon afterward out-fashioned, the new emperor preferring naturalistic themes. Both elements are slightly different one another in the practice of the Yongzheng reign.
The Qianlong pair was separated at auction in 1929. One of the bowls soon joined the Sir Percival David Collection, now in the British Museum.
Its counterpart went to several prestigious owners including Barbara Hutton and Dr Alice Cheng. It was sold for HK $ 150M by Christie's on November 28, 2006, lot 1309, and for HK $ 200M by Sotheby's on April 8, 2023, lot 1. Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's.
This small piece 11.3 cm in diameter is potted with translucent rounded sides rising to a flaring rim. The exterior is enameled in two shades of pink, yellow, green, brown and black. Its Qianlong four-character imperial mark is inserted in a double square.
Illustrating the pleasure of spring, it features two auspicious swallows flying in the sky beside a blossoming apricot tree intertwined with a willow. Such a combination had been considered as vulgar by a Ming taste arbiter. The willow tree is an emblem for a slender beautiful woman while the apricot refers to a playful sexuality. Swallows bring worldwide the announcement of spring. Often seen in pairs, they also symbolize a loving couple.
The ten-character poem inscribed in four black lines on the reverse is related with a dance performed by a Tang imperial concubine with a gown of shimmering feathers. Its three lines are respectively preceded and followed by ruby red enamel seals meaning early spring and dawn glow.
According to the palace records, ‘a large pair of bowls with apricot grove and spring swallows’ was submitted in 1734 CE during the reign of the Yongzheng emperor. A pair matching this description is kept in the palace Museum in Taipei.
A similar pair bearing the same poem with another illustration of the trees and birds bears the imperial mark of Qianlong. It was arguably prepared at the very beginning of that reign, 1736. The narrative illustration was soon afterward out-fashioned, the new emperor preferring naturalistic themes. Both elements are slightly different one another in the practice of the Yongzheng reign.
The Qianlong pair was separated at auction in 1929. One of the bowls soon joined the Sir Percival David Collection, now in the British Museum.
Its counterpart went to several prestigious owners including Barbara Hutton and Dr Alice Cheng. It was sold for HK $ 150M by Christie's on November 28, 2006, lot 1309, and for HK $ 200M by Sotheby's on April 8, 2023, lot 1. Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's.
This small piece 11.3 cm in diameter is potted with translucent rounded sides rising to a flaring rim. The exterior is enameled in two shades of pink, yellow, green, brown and black. Its Qianlong four-character imperial mark is inserted in a double square.
Illustrating the pleasure of spring, it features two auspicious swallows flying in the sky beside a blossoming apricot tree intertwined with a willow. Such a combination had been considered as vulgar by a Ming taste arbiter. The willow tree is an emblem for a slender beautiful woman while the apricot refers to a playful sexuality. Swallows bring worldwide the announcement of spring. Often seen in pairs, they also symbolize a loving couple.
The ten-character poem inscribed in four black lines on the reverse is related with a dance performed by a Tang imperial concubine with a gown of shimmering feathers. Its three lines are respectively preceded and followed by ruby red enamel seals meaning early spring and dawn glow.
1743 reticulated vase
2010 UNPAID at £ 43M plus a buyer's premium of £ 8.6M, at Bainbridges
In 1728 CE, Tang Ying is appointed by the Yongzheng emperor as the Superintendent of the Imperial porcelain produced at Jingdezhen. He spends several years observing the best practices of the potters. One of his first major successes is the development of the yangcai, offering a less expensive substitute to the Imperial City's falangcai that remains the high end.
These first years are experimental, with pieces of all shapes. Qianlong who succeeds Yongzheng in 1735 CE is just as demanding as his father. To please him, they must constantly bring novelties that match his ambitious role as Son of Heaven, accumulating the styles of all dynasties and integrating the new European trends.
In the early 1740s Tang Ying's expertise in Jingdezhen has no limits. The most complicated pieces are technological syntheses that require a long succession of firings at the risk of a low yield.
In a memorandum submitted to Qianlong in 1743 CE, Tang Ying apologizes for the small amount of units produced in the new style of double vase, only nine. The inner part is enclosed in the outer vase with a distance of about 3 to 4 cm between their walls. The outer vase is pierced by large holes of various elegant shapes that allow the peeping to the inner part. The exterior is decorated with the same profusion as more classical imperial pieces.
Qianlong does not request the impossible. He authorizes to complete in pairs those models that had been produced in single pieces before suspending this technique sine die.
A reticulated vase with pairs of fishes surfaced in Middlesex in 2010. 40 cm high, it mixes archaic, Song, Buddhist and rocaille inspirations, juxtaposing the classic celadon and the modern yangcai in a yellow ground with sgraffiato. The inner wall is a blue and white in Ming style. After 30 minutes of bidding, Bainbridges's hammer fell at £ 43M, £ 51.6M including the premium, but the payment failed and the sale was cancelled. Here is the link to the 2012 report by The Telegraph before the sale was cancelled.
In 2010 nobody had considered the catalog of the exhibition in New York in 1905 of a Japanese collection where its pairing piece had been photographed and described. This vase has resurfaced. It was sold for HK $ 150M from a lower estimate of HK $ 50M by Sotheby's on October 3, 2018, lot 3001. It differs from the Middlesex specimen by a rarer variant of the reign mark and so may be the master item produced for that pair.
Detailed Description by Grok :
Bainbridges Vase (Lot 800, 2010)
Description & Form
Double-walled reticulated vase with famille rose enameling; pierced body featuring four gilt-rimmed medallions with twin fish (symbolizing marital harmony) among waves, lotus scrolls, and chilong dragons in shaded iron-red on a gilt ground; flared neck and foot with key-fret borders; height 41 cm.
Decoration & Technique
Famille rose enamels with shaded iron-red and gilt details; reticulated band with blue enamel borders; inner wall possibly with related fish motifs (per catalog comparables). Focuses on marine and floral motifs for harmony and abundance.
Provenance & History
Discovered in 2010 during clearance of a Pinner, UK, home (former residence of Emily Newman, d. 2010); inherited by Tony Johnson and family. Attributed to Qianlong imperial kilns; no pre-20th-century provenance noted.
Auction Outcome
Hammer at £43 million, but cancelled; resold privately via Bonhams for ~£25 million in 2013 to a Far Eastern buyer.
Rarity & Significance
Rare yangcai reticulated "jiqingyouyu" (auspicious fish) type; comparables include blue-ground revolving vases in museums. Gained fame as the "Pinner Vase" for its dramatic story.
These first years are experimental, with pieces of all shapes. Qianlong who succeeds Yongzheng in 1735 CE is just as demanding as his father. To please him, they must constantly bring novelties that match his ambitious role as Son of Heaven, accumulating the styles of all dynasties and integrating the new European trends.
In the early 1740s Tang Ying's expertise in Jingdezhen has no limits. The most complicated pieces are technological syntheses that require a long succession of firings at the risk of a low yield.
In a memorandum submitted to Qianlong in 1743 CE, Tang Ying apologizes for the small amount of units produced in the new style of double vase, only nine. The inner part is enclosed in the outer vase with a distance of about 3 to 4 cm between their walls. The outer vase is pierced by large holes of various elegant shapes that allow the peeping to the inner part. The exterior is decorated with the same profusion as more classical imperial pieces.
Qianlong does not request the impossible. He authorizes to complete in pairs those models that had been produced in single pieces before suspending this technique sine die.
A reticulated vase with pairs of fishes surfaced in Middlesex in 2010. 40 cm high, it mixes archaic, Song, Buddhist and rocaille inspirations, juxtaposing the classic celadon and the modern yangcai in a yellow ground with sgraffiato. The inner wall is a blue and white in Ming style. After 30 minutes of bidding, Bainbridges's hammer fell at £ 43M, £ 51.6M including the premium, but the payment failed and the sale was cancelled. Here is the link to the 2012 report by The Telegraph before the sale was cancelled.
In 2010 nobody had considered the catalog of the exhibition in New York in 1905 of a Japanese collection where its pairing piece had been photographed and described. This vase has resurfaced. It was sold for HK $ 150M from a lower estimate of HK $ 50M by Sotheby's on October 3, 2018, lot 3001. It differs from the Middlesex specimen by a rarer variant of the reign mark and so may be the master item produced for that pair.
Detailed Description by Grok :
Bainbridges Vase (Lot 800, 2010)
Description & Form
Double-walled reticulated vase with famille rose enameling; pierced body featuring four gilt-rimmed medallions with twin fish (symbolizing marital harmony) among waves, lotus scrolls, and chilong dragons in shaded iron-red on a gilt ground; flared neck and foot with key-fret borders; height 41 cm.
Decoration & Technique
Famille rose enamels with shaded iron-red and gilt details; reticulated band with blue enamel borders; inner wall possibly with related fish motifs (per catalog comparables). Focuses on marine and floral motifs for harmony and abundance.
Provenance & History
Discovered in 2010 during clearance of a Pinner, UK, home (former residence of Emily Newman, d. 2010); inherited by Tony Johnson and family. Attributed to Qianlong imperial kilns; no pre-20th-century provenance noted.
Auction Outcome
Hammer at £43 million, but cancelled; resold privately via Bonhams for ~£25 million in 2013 to a Far Eastern buyer.
Rarity & Significance
Rare yangcai reticulated "jiqingyouyu" (auspicious fish) type; comparables include blue-ground revolving vases in museums. Gained fame as the "Pinner Vase" for its dramatic story.
The famous Qianlong reticulated vase associated with Bainbridge's auction in 2010, lot 800, is the iconic one discovered during a house clearance in Pinner, London. It was an 18th-century Qing dynasty porcelain vase from the Qianlong period (1736–1795), made for the imperial court.
This particular vase was a famille rose (fencai) decorated example with a pink ground, featuring intricate reticulated (openwork/pierced) panels, often with floral or auspicious motifs, and gilt details. It was consigned from a modest home where it had been stored in a box or loft for decades, initially undervalued or dismissed by some experts (including a BBC Antiques Roadshow appearance where it was called a clever reproduction).
At Bainbridge's auction house (a small family-run operation in Ruislip, Middlesex, UK) on November 11, 2010, lot 800 carried a modest pre-sale estimate (around £800–£1,200 or similar low figures in some reports, though it was presented with a realistic but still conservative valuation). Intense international bidding—driven heavily by Chinese collectors—drove the hammer price to £43 million (approximately $69 million at the time), plus buyer's premium, totaling around £53.1 million. This made it the most expensive Chinese work of art ever sold at auction at that point, and it held the record for several years.
However, the sale was unpaid (or "bought in"/failed to complete) by the underbidder or winning bidder in the immediate aftermath. The winning telephone bidder did not pay, leading to the vase not changing hands at that price. Reports indicate the seller did not receive payment for an extended period (some sources say nearly two years later issues persisted with commissions or disputes). The vase was later withdrawn or handled privately/through other channels, but the headline-grabbing £53m figure became legendary in the art world as a symbol of the booming Chinese art market around 2010.
Technical Breakthrough
The vase exemplifies the peak of Qing imperial porcelain innovation under Emperor Qianlong, supervised by the celebrated superintendent Tang Ying (who oversaw the Jingdezhen kilns). Key breakthroughs include:
Legacy
This 2010 sale (despite the non-payment drama) sparked global fascination with Chinese imperial porcelain, fueling a massive surge in demand from mainland Chinese buyers during the early 2010s boom. It highlighted the shift of the high-end Chinese art market from London/New York to Hong Kong and Beijing.
The piece (or its close variants, like the "twin" Yamanaka reticulated vase sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong in 2018 for high sums) inspired renewed scholarly interest in Qianlong-era technical virtuosity. Reticulated yangcai vases remain among the most coveted and expensive categories in Chinese ceramics, with similar examples achieving multi-million-dollar results at major houses.
The story endures as a "rags-to-riches" auction fairytale—turning a dusty family heirloom into a record-breaker—while underscoring market volatility (unpaid bids, disputes) in overheated sectors.
This particular vase was a famille rose (fencai) decorated example with a pink ground, featuring intricate reticulated (openwork/pierced) panels, often with floral or auspicious motifs, and gilt details. It was consigned from a modest home where it had been stored in a box or loft for decades, initially undervalued or dismissed by some experts (including a BBC Antiques Roadshow appearance where it was called a clever reproduction).
At Bainbridge's auction house (a small family-run operation in Ruislip, Middlesex, UK) on November 11, 2010, lot 800 carried a modest pre-sale estimate (around £800–£1,200 or similar low figures in some reports, though it was presented with a realistic but still conservative valuation). Intense international bidding—driven heavily by Chinese collectors—drove the hammer price to £43 million (approximately $69 million at the time), plus buyer's premium, totaling around £53.1 million. This made it the most expensive Chinese work of art ever sold at auction at that point, and it held the record for several years.
However, the sale was unpaid (or "bought in"/failed to complete) by the underbidder or winning bidder in the immediate aftermath. The winning telephone bidder did not pay, leading to the vase not changing hands at that price. Reports indicate the seller did not receive payment for an extended period (some sources say nearly two years later issues persisted with commissions or disputes). The vase was later withdrawn or handled privately/through other channels, but the headline-grabbing £53m figure became legendary in the art world as a symbol of the booming Chinese art market around 2010.
Technical Breakthrough
The vase exemplifies the peak of Qing imperial porcelain innovation under Emperor Qianlong, supervised by the celebrated superintendent Tang Ying (who oversaw the Jingdezhen kilns). Key breakthroughs include:
- Reticulation (linglong/openwork) — Creating intricate pierced patterns in the porcelain body that are then glazed and fired without collapse. This required extreme precision in clay composition, molding, and firing to maintain structural integrity while achieving delicate, lace-like effects. It was a major technical feat, pushing the limits of porcelain plasticity and kiln control.
- Multi-layered decoration — Combining reticulated outer walls (often with rotating or interlocking elements in related pieces) with overglaze enamels (yangcai/famille rose), gilding, and sometimes underglaze blue. The yangcai palette allowed for softer, more painterly Western-influenced colors (inspired by European enamels introduced via Jesuits), blended with traditional Chinese motifs.
- High-temperature control and innovation — Achieving uniform firing for such complex pieces without warping, cracking, or glaze flaws demanded advances in kiln design and clay refinement. These vases represented the culmination of centuries of Chinese ceramic evolution, incorporating archaic bronze/jade inspirations, celadon influences, blue-and-white traditions, and Rococo-style elements to create imperial showpieces symbolizing opulence and ingenuity.
Legacy
This 2010 sale (despite the non-payment drama) sparked global fascination with Chinese imperial porcelain, fueling a massive surge in demand from mainland Chinese buyers during the early 2010s boom. It highlighted the shift of the high-end Chinese art market from London/New York to Hong Kong and Beijing.
The piece (or its close variants, like the "twin" Yamanaka reticulated vase sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong in 2018 for high sums) inspired renewed scholarly interest in Qianlong-era technical virtuosity. Reticulated yangcai vases remain among the most coveted and expensive categories in Chinese ceramics, with similar examples achieving multi-million-dollar results at major houses.
The story endures as a "rags-to-riches" auction fairytale—turning a dusty family heirloom into a record-breaker—while underscoring market volatility (unpaid bids, disputes) in overheated sectors.
The most expensive Chinese vase
— King Selorm1 (@Selorm1King) March 13, 2023
In 2010, at an English auction Bainbridges it was sold for a record 85 million dollars. The buyer was an anonymous collector from Beijing and the vase thus returned to the motherland it left in 1860 during the Second Opium War. pic.twitter.com/4ZcrT1avtW
1752 100 Birds Vase
2021 SOLD for RMB 266M by Poly
The manufacturing process of the reticulated revolving vase was arguably the most difficult ever, with the elements being assembled after separate firing. The Qianlong emperor wisely stopped it after pairing the last additional pieces to the production from the first batches.
The technology of the double vase nevertheless remained appealing for offering the most favorable auspices. Such pieces may be identified as turning heart bottles.
One of them, 63 cm high, is among the most massive in that category. The outer belly features a flying phoenix in a scenery. The open work matches the details of the landscape in irregular shapes, which is an additional feat with a higher risk of deformation during the firing. The rotation of the inner cylinder reveals the flock of ten species of auspicious birds in their flight facing the phoenix as a symbol of the harmonious balance of yin and yang.
The Divine Mother Empress Dowager Chongqing was held in very high regard by her son the Qianlong emperor and her 60th birthday in 1752 CE was one of the most lavish events of his reign.
The Imperial archives record that, on the fifth month of Qianlong's 18th year, the emperor commissioned Jingdezhen to fire a turning heart bottle with fighting dragons which was delivered by Tang Ying in the 11th month of the next year after 18 months of labor.
The yangcai vase with the phoenix was not documented. It was certainly prepared in the same period for a filial presenting to the empress dowager who was known to enjoy the story of the '100 birds'. It was sold for £ 330K by Christie's on June 15, 1999, lot 99, and for RMB 266M by Poly on June 7, 2021, lot 5153.
Asking Grok to compare the Qianlong reticulated revolving vase sold by Poly on June 7, 2021, lot 5153 with the example whose sale at Bainbridges in 2010 has been cancelled. Compare their estimated dates of execution.
Overview
Both vases are exceptional examples of imperial Qing dynasty porcelain, specifically reticulated revolving (or rotating) types produced at the Jingdezhen kilns. These innovative designs, featuring an outer pierced (reticulated) shell that allows the inner rotating vase to be viewed through intricate openwork, were developed in the 1740s primarily to delight Emperor Qianlong (r. 1736–1795). They combine technical virtuosity—such as interlocking parts and multi-layered enameling—with auspicious symbolism, making them among the rarest and most prized Chinese ceramics. Only a handful of such vases survive in museum and private collections.
The Poly vase (lot 5153, sold June 7, 2021, at Poly International Auction Co., Beijing) fetched a world-record RMB 265.7 million (US$41.6 million), underscoring its status as a pinnacle of Qianlong craftsmanship. The Bainbridges example (offered November 11, 2010, at Bainbridges auction house, Ruislip, UK, as lot 800) achieved a hammer price of £43 million (approx. £53.1 million including premium), but the sale was cancelled due to the buyer's refusal to pay the auction house's 20% fee; it later sold privately for around £25 million in 2013.
While both share the Qianlong reign mark and period attribution, they differ in decoration, form, and specific provenance details.
Detailed description
Poly Vase (Lot 5153, 2021)
Description & Form
Four-piece construction: ruby-ground outer reticulated shell with carved openwork depicting phoenix scenes amid foliage and landscapes; inner baluster-form rotating vase with painted figural elements visible through the lattice; elegant tapering neck with archaistic kui dragon handles; overall height approx. 40–45 cm (estimated from images and comparables).
Decoration & Technique
Yangcai (foreign enamels) palette on ruby ground; intricate carved openwork (reticulation) for light transmission; revolving mechanism reveals inner scenes; combines reticulation, interlocking, and rotation—extremely rare fusion. Symbolism evokes imperial auspiciousness (phoenix for prosperity).
Provenance & History
Acquired by a veteran collector in 1999; exhibited in Poly's "Qianlong Palace Art" show prior to sale. No earlier imperial palace links documented publicly.
Auction Outcome
Sold successfully to an undisclosed buyer; set record for most expensive ceramic ever auctioned.
Rarity & Significance
One of only two known large-scale revolving phoenix examples (other in private Hong Kong collection); hailed as "world's most expensive ceramic" for its technical innovation.
Comparison of Estimated Dates of Execution
Both vases bear the six-character underglaze blue seal mark "Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi" (Made during the Qianlong reign of the Great Qing), confirming their attribution to the Qianlong period (1736–1795). Auction catalogs and expert analyses (e.g., from Sotheby's and Poly) describe them as definitively "Qianlong mark and period," with no doubts about authenticity raised. This places their execution squarely within the mid-to-late 18th century, during the height of Qianlong's patronage of porcelain innovation.
The technology of the double vase nevertheless remained appealing for offering the most favorable auspices. Such pieces may be identified as turning heart bottles.
One of them, 63 cm high, is among the most massive in that category. The outer belly features a flying phoenix in a scenery. The open work matches the details of the landscape in irregular shapes, which is an additional feat with a higher risk of deformation during the firing. The rotation of the inner cylinder reveals the flock of ten species of auspicious birds in their flight facing the phoenix as a symbol of the harmonious balance of yin and yang.
The Divine Mother Empress Dowager Chongqing was held in very high regard by her son the Qianlong emperor and her 60th birthday in 1752 CE was one of the most lavish events of his reign.
The Imperial archives record that, on the fifth month of Qianlong's 18th year, the emperor commissioned Jingdezhen to fire a turning heart bottle with fighting dragons which was delivered by Tang Ying in the 11th month of the next year after 18 months of labor.
The yangcai vase with the phoenix was not documented. It was certainly prepared in the same period for a filial presenting to the empress dowager who was known to enjoy the story of the '100 birds'. It was sold for £ 330K by Christie's on June 15, 1999, lot 99, and for RMB 266M by Poly on June 7, 2021, lot 5153.
Asking Grok to compare the Qianlong reticulated revolving vase sold by Poly on June 7, 2021, lot 5153 with the example whose sale at Bainbridges in 2010 has been cancelled. Compare their estimated dates of execution.
Overview
Both vases are exceptional examples of imperial Qing dynasty porcelain, specifically reticulated revolving (or rotating) types produced at the Jingdezhen kilns. These innovative designs, featuring an outer pierced (reticulated) shell that allows the inner rotating vase to be viewed through intricate openwork, were developed in the 1740s primarily to delight Emperor Qianlong (r. 1736–1795). They combine technical virtuosity—such as interlocking parts and multi-layered enameling—with auspicious symbolism, making them among the rarest and most prized Chinese ceramics. Only a handful of such vases survive in museum and private collections.
The Poly vase (lot 5153, sold June 7, 2021, at Poly International Auction Co., Beijing) fetched a world-record RMB 265.7 million (US$41.6 million), underscoring its status as a pinnacle of Qianlong craftsmanship. The Bainbridges example (offered November 11, 2010, at Bainbridges auction house, Ruislip, UK, as lot 800) achieved a hammer price of £43 million (approx. £53.1 million including premium), but the sale was cancelled due to the buyer's refusal to pay the auction house's 20% fee; it later sold privately for around £25 million in 2013.
While both share the Qianlong reign mark and period attribution, they differ in decoration, form, and specific provenance details.
Detailed description
Poly Vase (Lot 5153, 2021)
Description & Form
Four-piece construction: ruby-ground outer reticulated shell with carved openwork depicting phoenix scenes amid foliage and landscapes; inner baluster-form rotating vase with painted figural elements visible through the lattice; elegant tapering neck with archaistic kui dragon handles; overall height approx. 40–45 cm (estimated from images and comparables).
Decoration & Technique
Yangcai (foreign enamels) palette on ruby ground; intricate carved openwork (reticulation) for light transmission; revolving mechanism reveals inner scenes; combines reticulation, interlocking, and rotation—extremely rare fusion. Symbolism evokes imperial auspiciousness (phoenix for prosperity).
Provenance & History
Acquired by a veteran collector in 1999; exhibited in Poly's "Qianlong Palace Art" show prior to sale. No earlier imperial palace links documented publicly.
Auction Outcome
Sold successfully to an undisclosed buyer; set record for most expensive ceramic ever auctioned.
Rarity & Significance
One of only two known large-scale revolving phoenix examples (other in private Hong Kong collection); hailed as "world's most expensive ceramic" for its technical innovation.
Comparison of Estimated Dates of Execution
Both vases bear the six-character underglaze blue seal mark "Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi" (Made during the Qianlong reign of the Great Qing), confirming their attribution to the Qianlong period (1736–1795). Auction catalogs and expert analyses (e.g., from Sotheby's and Poly) describe them as definitively "Qianlong mark and period," with no doubts about authenticity raised. This places their execution squarely within the mid-to-late 18th century, during the height of Qianlong's patronage of porcelain innovation.
- Specific Estimates:
- Poly Vase: Dated broadly to the Qianlong period (1736–1795), with emphasis on the 1740s–1750s based on stylistic and technical comparables. Revolving vases were a novel invention around 1740 to satisfy the emperor's fascination with jade-like interlocking mechanisms in ceramics. The yangcai enameling and ruby ground align with peak production in the 1750s, when foreign enamel techniques were perfected at Jingdezhen.
- Bainbridges Vase: Similarly dated to the Qianlong period (1736–1795), with catalog notes highlighting enameling styles from the mid-18th century (circa 1740s–1760s). The famille rose palette and reticulated motifs match documented imperial orders from the 1750s, though some experts note the gilt-heavy borders as slightly later within the reign (post-1750).
- Similarities in Dating: No meaningful difference exists; both are estimated to the same reign (mid-18th century, ~1740–1760). This reflects the standardized imperial production under Qianlong, where such complex pieces were made in limited numbers for the palace. Variations in ground color (ruby vs. potentially yellow/blue for Bainbridges comparables) or motifs do not shift the timeline, as these were experimental within the same decade-spanning workshop.
- Differences in Dating Precision: The Poly vase benefits from more recent scholarly scrutiny (e.g., Poly's 2021 exhibition), tying it explicitly to the 1740s innovation phase. The Bainbridges vase's 2010 catalog relies on traditional connoisseurship, with looser "Qianlong period" phrasing, but post-cancellation analyses (e.g., by Bonhams in 2013) reaffirm the mid-18th century without revision.
Undated Double Gourd Vase
2010 SOLD for HK$ 253M by Sotheby's
A vase was sold for HK $ 253M by Sotheby's on October 7, 2010 from a lower estimate of HK $ 30M, lot 2126.
This 40 cm high double gourd vase without handles bears the Qianlong imperial mark. By its design and execution, it is a magnificent example of the yangcai in the techniques and styles of Jingdezhen with its pale yellow background, a long cylindrical slender neck above the upper bulb and sgraffiato incisions.
This piece is enamel painted with flowers including lotus, peonies and hibiscus and with foliate scrolls. The large lower bulb is centered at both sides with a pink double lotus bloom in the style of Giuseppe Castiglione. Symbols of longevity are displayed in two gold medallions. The interior is glazed in bright turquoise.
Designed in Beijing around 1741 CE, the sgraffiato becomes in Jingdezhen a dense pattern of scrollwork deeply applied on the monochrome background for reminding a rich brocade.
The Qianlong double-gourd vase (lot 2126 from the J.T. Tai collection) was indeed sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong on October 7, 2010, for HK$252.66 million (approximately HK$253 million including buyer's premium) after a competitive bidding process. This far exceeded the pre-sale estimate of HK$30–50 million and set a world auction record for Chinese porcelain at the time.
The buyer was Hong Kong-based collector and businesswoman Alice Cheng (sister of dealer Robert Chang), who acquired it for her personal collection and was photographed holding the vase immediately after the sale. Contemporary reports from multiple sources confirm the transaction was completed, with no subsequent indications of default, cancellation, or non-payment. Later references in auction catalogues and art market analyses (as recent as 2023) also describe it as having been "sold" in 2010, without any caveats.
While it's true that 2010–2011 saw a notable uptick in payment defaults for Chinese art at auctions (often linked to speculative buying or economic factors in mainland China), this trend was more pronounced at smaller or regional auction houses and did not appear to affect this high-profile Sotheby's sale. Cheng has a track record of completing major purchases, including a HK$151.3 million Qianlong bowl in 2006.
The absence of a realized price on Sotheby's current online catalogue for this lot (and others in the same auction) does not indicate cancellation. The vase has not resurfaced at auction since, further supporting that the original sale stands.
This 40 cm high double gourd vase without handles bears the Qianlong imperial mark. By its design and execution, it is a magnificent example of the yangcai in the techniques and styles of Jingdezhen with its pale yellow background, a long cylindrical slender neck above the upper bulb and sgraffiato incisions.
This piece is enamel painted with flowers including lotus, peonies and hibiscus and with foliate scrolls. The large lower bulb is centered at both sides with a pink double lotus bloom in the style of Giuseppe Castiglione. Symbols of longevity are displayed in two gold medallions. The interior is glazed in bright turquoise.
Designed in Beijing around 1741 CE, the sgraffiato becomes in Jingdezhen a dense pattern of scrollwork deeply applied on the monochrome background for reminding a rich brocade.
The Qianlong double-gourd vase (lot 2126 from the J.T. Tai collection) was indeed sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong on October 7, 2010, for HK$252.66 million (approximately HK$253 million including buyer's premium) after a competitive bidding process. This far exceeded the pre-sale estimate of HK$30–50 million and set a world auction record for Chinese porcelain at the time.
The buyer was Hong Kong-based collector and businesswoman Alice Cheng (sister of dealer Robert Chang), who acquired it for her personal collection and was photographed holding the vase immediately after the sale. Contemporary reports from multiple sources confirm the transaction was completed, with no subsequent indications of default, cancellation, or non-payment. Later references in auction catalogues and art market analyses (as recent as 2023) also describe it as having been "sold" in 2010, without any caveats.
While it's true that 2010–2011 saw a notable uptick in payment defaults for Chinese art at auctions (often linked to speculative buying or economic factors in mainland China), this trend was more pronounced at smaller or regional auction houses and did not appear to affect this high-profile Sotheby's sale. Cheng has a track record of completing major purchases, including a HK$151.3 million Qianlong bowl in 2006.
The absence of a realized price on Sotheby's current online catalogue for this lot (and others in the same auction) does not indicate cancellation. The vase has not resurfaced at auction since, further supporting that the original sale stands.
