A Chinese inscribed blue and white two-handled 'Immortals' c...

Hammer

€90,000

A Chinese inscribed blue and white two-handled 'Immortals' censer, Wanli mark and of the period, dated 1617

L.: 26,7 cm - H.: 30,3 cm

Provenance:
- Sotheby's, London, 13 December 1977, Lot 471.
- Bluett and Sons, London, acquired from the above.
- A private collection, acquired from the above.
- Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 1 October 1999, lot 404.
- S. Marchant and Son, London, with their label to the base.
- The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium, acquired from the above on 6 October 2004 and accompanied by a copy of their original invoice. (see added scans)

Exhibited and published:
- Published by Sheila Riddell in 'Dated Chinese Antiquities, 600-1650', 1979, plate 83, p.103. (see added scans.)
- S. Marchant and Son, London, included in their November 2004 exhibition of 'Ming Blue and White: Jiajing-Chongzhen Including Dated Examples', and published in the accompanying catalogue, no. 30 and front cover. Also illustrated in their 2025 publication 'One Hundred Years', Vol. II, p. 54, fig. 1074.

Of rectangular form raised on four corner feet, the gently rounded sides painted in recessed panels reserved on a geometric diaper ground interspersed with cash motifs. The principal panels are decorated with the Eight Daoist Immortals divided into two groups of four in a continuous landscape, each carrying their characteristic attributes and accompanied by a crane. The two shorter sides are each painted with a pair of immortals, probably representing 'Hanshan' and 'Shide', also known as the 'Hehe Erxian' and 'Liu Hai' with his three-legged toad. Above the main scenes are rectangular cartouches enclosing inscriptions, one reading Da Ming Wanli ding si nian zhi ('Made in the Ding Si year of the Wanli reign', corresponding to 1617), the other Wang Shengyu jiaqi ('Beautiful vessel of Wang Shengyu).
The waisted neck is embellished with reserves containing cranes and ruyi-head motifs against a floral diaper ground below a key-fret border encircling the rim. The shoulders are set with a pair of elegant upright scroll handles, while the interior is decorated with cloud scrolls and Daoist trigrams.

Reference:
A closely related censer dated 1577 from the collection of Sir Harry and Lady Garner is illustrated in 'The Art of the Ming Dynasty', Oriental Ceramic Society, London, 1957, no. 207, pl. 55.;

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