Two exceptionally rare, large knives made for the French market (re-attributed to Nicolas de Vauborel of Saint-Malo). China, Kangxi
The two large table knives follow a design typical of the Louis XIV period and are decorated in the imari palette. One side is painted in iron-red and gilt with a branch of peonies, while the other bears the arms of the Vauborel family: azure, a round tower argent, masoned sable. The arms are encircled […]
A Chinese famille verte “bamboo” teapot. Kangxi
The body of the teapot is modelled as a bundle of bamboo stalks, with finely rendered nodes and grooves. This motif continues in the spout and handle, both shaped as partially peeled bamboo stems. The cover follows the undulating section of the stalks, and its finial takes the form of a small curved branch. The […]
An unusual Chinese blue and white ewer with a scroll handle. Early Kangxi
This ewer, inspired by European silver forms, stands on a tall, flared foot and features an arched scroll handle and a high, curving spout. The body is decorated in underglaze blue with lotus scrolls, chrysanthemum blossoms, and stylised floral motifs. On the central register, two medallions contain masks of Buddhist lions framed by baroque scrolls. […]
A Chinese famille rose plate decorated with the Immortals. Yongzheng
In the centre, within a large circular reserve, appears a depiction of the Eight Immortals (Ba Xian), the celebrated figures of the Daoist pantheon, gathered in a rocky landscape beneath a pine tree, a traditional symbol of longevity. Each Immortal can be identified by his or her distinctive attributes: Li Tieguai, leaning on his crutch […]
A pair of Chinese famille rose plates with a lady and two boys in a garden. Yongzheng
Each plate is finely decorated at the centre with a composition depicting an elegant lady seated on a rock, watching two young boys playing nearby. The scene is set in a wooded garden adorned with banana leaves and pierced rocks, before a wall with a circular window through which scholarly objects can be seen. The […]
A Chinese “Flora and Cupid” cup and saucer. Qianlong
The cup and saucer are finely decorated in famille rose enamels, each with an oval reserve depicting a European scene: Flora, shown bare-legged and seated in a park, beside Cupid who offers her a floral wreath. In the background, a classical building with arches and columns is visible, together with a fountain and two small […]
An unusual and very fine Chinese Dutch-decorated charger. Kangxi
At the center of the dish, a scene unfolds in a terraced garden with a flowering prunus and bamboo in the foreground. A man standing, dressed in a red robe, holds a gold ingot in his left hand. At his feet, a kneeling man to his right and a woman standing to his left make […]
A Chinese armorial oval dish for the Irish / Indian market (Caulfeild). Daoguang
This oval dish is richly decorated in famille rose enamels with a central armorial crest enclosed within a green medallion. The coat of arms is that of Caulfeild, Barry of ten argent and gules, on a canton of the second a lion passant gardant or ; with crest, A dragon’s head erased gules gorged with […]
A royal coffee or chocolate cup for the King Louis XV. China, Yongzheng
The cup is decorated in the famille verte palette with translucent enamels and features the decor ordered for Louis XV, King of France (1710-1774). The main motif is an underglaze blue spray of peonies supporting a chrysanthemum flower, surmounted by a basket of citrus fruit. Additional motifs include fans and chrysanthemum heads in rounded cartouches. […]
An unrecorded armorial cup and saucer for a member of the House of Condé (France). China, Qianlong
The cup and the saucer are decorated in the famille rose palette, with a gilt border of shell and foliage motifs. The center of the saucer bears the coat of arms of the House of Condé painted in a rocaille cartouche under clouds, De France au bâton péri en bande de gueules en abîme, under […]