17 - A CORAL-RED GLAZED PORCELAN MOULDED AND RETICULATED ‘DRAGON AND FENGHUANG’ SNUFF BOTTLE IMPERIAL, JINGDEZHEN KILNS, 1796-1820

A CORAL-RED GLAZED PORCELAN MOULDED AND RETICULATED ‘DRAGON AND FENGHUANG’ SNUFF BOTTLE IMPERIAL, JINGDEZHEN KILNS, 1796-1820 To Be Sold Without Reserve Of elongated ovoid form, moulded with a continuous design of formalized clouds, some shaped as formalized lingzhi heads, with a three-clawed dragon on one side and a fenghuang with a ruyi sceptre in front of it on the other, the upper neck rim with a band of raised dots above a neck band of continuous leiwen (‘thunder pattern’) design bordered with formalized lingzhi heads, the foot with a band of formalized lingzhi heads above a band of raised dots, the foot inscribed in gold seal script Jiaqing nian zhi (‘made in the Jiaqing period’) Height: 7.5cm Provenance: The Neal W. and Frances R. Hunter Collection Sotheby’s, New York, 15th September 1998, Lot 182 Hugh Moss (HK) 25th September 1998, (a copy of the original invoice available) In unusually fine condition for one of this group, this is a classic example of the early series of dragon and fenghuang bottles made for the Court and probably for distribution as presents at Imperial weddings, where these two mythical beasts were standard decoration. It is also exceptionally well enamelled. Often this red enamel, along with its blue equivalent, was rather thickly applied, causing a considerably loss of detail, whereas here it is an ideal combination of brilliance of colour and thinness, allowing the moulded detail to show through Ω This Lot was imported from outside of the UK, under the Temporary Admission regime 5% import VAT will be charged on the ‘hammer” and 20% VAT will be charged on the ‘buyer’s premium