A RARE SMALL ROCK CRYSTAL VASE, HU Incised Qianlong four-character...
PROPERTY FROM A PRINCELY COLLECTION 王子藏品
A RARE SMALL ROCK CRYSTAL VASE, HU
Incised Qianlong four-character mark and of the period
Of archaic hu form, with globular body rising from a tapering foot, surmounted by a flaring neck with lipped rim, the transparent stone crisply carved with four ribs, the recessed base with frosted square containing the four-character mark in kaishu calligraphy. 8.5cm (3 2/8in) high.
清乾隆 水晶小壺
「乾隆年製」楷書款
Provenance: Christie's London, 26 January 1976, lot 179.
Shuisongshi Shanfang Collection
Bloch Collection
Sotheby's, Scholarly Works of Art from the Mary and George Bloch Collection, Hong Kong, 23 October 2005, lot 119.
Robert H. Blumenfield Collection
Christie's New York, Auspicious Treasures for Scholars and Emperors, Selections from the Robert H.Blumenfield Collection, 22 March 2012, lot 1215
Property from a Princely Collection
Published and Illustrated: G.Tsang and H.Moss, Arts of the Scholar's Studio, Hong Kong, 1986, pp.244-245, no.235.
來源: 倫敦佳士得，1976年1月26日，拍品編號179
水松石山房舊藏
Bloch舊藏
蘇富比，"瑪麗與莊智博伉儷珍藏"專場拍賣，香港，2005年10月23日，拍品編號119
普孟斐舊藏
紐約佳士得，"乘物遊心：普孟斐文房清玩珍藏"專場拍賣，2012年3月22日，拍品編號1215
王子藏品
展覽著錄： 曾柱昭及H.Moss，《文玩萃珍》，香港，1986年，第244-245頁，編號235
Rock crystal, with its natural transparency and luminous quality, was particularly prized for its aesthetic appeal and symbolic significance. It represented purity, elegance, and longevity, making it a fitting material for Imperial treasures. The early Ming connoisseurship treatise Gegu Yaolun highlights that top-quality crystal is characterised by its lustre and impeccable clarity, with a preference for undecorated vessels. Carving was primarily employed to conceal imperfections. The text notes that the finest crystal was often imported from Japan, while records indicate imports came from as far away as Ceylon.
Moreover, the archaistic hu vase form, inspired by ancient bronze vessels, symbolised traditional values, Imperial authority, and cultural continuity. Emperor Qianlong's patronage of archaistic art reflected his reverence for China's rich heritage and his desire to project a sense of legitimacy and dynastic continuity. The present lot therefore, not only celebrates China's glorious past but also showcases the technical mastery of Qing artisans, highlighting the emperor's commitment to artistic excellence and cultural revival.
Compare with a related rock crystal brushpot, Qianlong yuyong four-character mark, illustrated by G.Tsang and H.Moss, Arts from the Scholar's Studio, Hong Kong, 1986, pp.156-157, no.130. Other crystal table articles in the Qing Court Collection, Beijing, are illustrated in The Complete Treasures of the Palace Museum: Small Refined Articles of the Study, Shanghai, 2009, no.92, a mountain-form brush rest; no.266, two mountain-peaked seals; and no.281, a square seal paste box.
Bid on this lot
PROPERTY FROM A PRINCELY COLLECTION 王子藏品
A RARE SMALL ROCK CRYSTAL VASE, HU
Incised Qianlong four-character mark and of the period
Of archaic hu form, with globular body rising from a tapering foot, surmounted by a flaring neck with lipped rim, the transparent stone crisply carved with four ribs, the recessed base with frosted square containing the four-character mark in kaishu calligraphy. 8.5cm (3 2/8in) high.
清乾隆 水晶小壺
「乾隆年製」楷書款
Provenance: Christie's London, 26 January 1976, lot 179.
Shuisongshi Shanfang Collection
Bloch Collection
Sotheby's, Scholarly Works of Art from the Mary and George Bloch Collection, Hong Kong, 23 October 2005, lot 119.
Robert H. Blumenfield Collection
Christie's New York, Auspicious Treasures for Scholars and Emperors, Selections from the Robert H.Blumenfield Collection, 22 March 2012, lot 1215
Property from a Princely Collection
Published and Illustrated: G.Tsang and H.Moss, Arts of the Scholar's Studio, Hong Kong, 1986, pp.244-245, no.235.
來源: 倫敦佳士得，1976年1月26日，拍品編號179
水松石山房舊藏
Bloch舊藏
蘇富比，"瑪麗與莊智博伉儷珍藏"專場拍賣，香港，2005年10月23日，拍品編號119
普孟斐舊藏
紐約佳士得，"乘物遊心：普孟斐文房清玩珍藏"專場拍賣，2012年3月22日，拍品編號1215
王子藏品
展覽著錄： 曾柱昭及H.Moss，《文玩萃珍》，香港，1986年，第244-245頁，編號235
Rock crystal, with its natural transparency and luminous quality, was particularly prized for its aesthetic appeal and symbolic significance. It represented purity, elegance, and longevity, making it a fitting material for Imperial treasures. The early Ming connoisseurship treatise Gegu Yaolun highlights that top-quality crystal is characterised by its lustre and impeccable clarity, with a preference for undecorated vessels. Carving was primarily employed to conceal imperfections. The text notes that the finest crystal was often imported from Japan, while records indicate imports came from as far away as Ceylon.
Moreover, the archaistic hu vase form, inspired by ancient bronze vessels, symbolised traditional values, Imperial authority, and cultural continuity. Emperor Qianlong's patronage of archaistic art reflected his reverence for China's rich heritage and his desire to project a sense of legitimacy and dynastic continuity. The present lot therefore, not only celebrates China's glorious past but also showcases the technical mastery of Qing artisans, highlighting the emperor's commitment to artistic excellence and cultural revival.
Compare with a related rock crystal brushpot, Qianlong yuyong four-character mark, illustrated by G.Tsang and H.Moss, Arts from the Scholar's Studio, Hong Kong, 1986, pp.156-157, no.130. Other crystal table articles in the Qing Court Collection, Beijing, are illustrated in The Complete Treasures of the Palace Museum: Small Refined Articles of the Study, Shanghai, 2009, no.92, a mountain-form brush rest; no.266, two mountain-peaked seals; and no.281, a square seal paste box.
