A DOUCAI PORCELAIN ‘PROCESSION’ PHOENIX-TAIL VASE, FENGWEIZUN APOCRYPHAL MARK OF EMPEROR CHENGHUA CHINA, QING DYNASTY It rests on a short unglazed ring foot and has an elongated egg-shaped body surmounted by a trumpet neck. It is very finely enamelled in a doucai palette with an equestrian procession of Daoist gods and attendants, the one leading the procession pointing his arm to celestial clouds. The base is inscribed in underglaze cobalt blue with an apocryphal six-character mark of Emperor Chenghua within a double circle. H: 43,5 cm Provenance: - a Southern France private collection; - purchased from Galerie Beauté Chinoise, Stand 40, 142, rue des Rosiers, 93400 Saint-Ouen, France, in February 2019 (with original invoice); - private collection of Jean Hougron, gifted to his son, Alexandre Houdron, at the end of the 1980s. Notes: 1. Shape: Fenhweizun (凤尾尊) vases, also referred to as ‘Phoenix-tail’ or ‘Yenyen’ vases, have a shape inspired by Gu vases. However, it has a more widely flaring, trumpet neck, resembling a phoenix tail, and a heavier body at the bottom. 2. Doucai (斗彩) is a technique in painting Chinese porcelain, where parts of the design, and some outlines of the rest, are painted in underglaze blue, and the piece is then glazed and fired. The rest of the design is then added in overglaze enamels of different colours and the piece fired again at a lower temperature of about 850°C to 900°C. 斗彩凤尾尊，仿成化款 中国，清代 NOTE: CONDITION REPORTS AND MEASUREMENTS It is up to the bidder to satisfy themselves prior to buying as to the condition of a lot. In relation to Condition Reports, whilst we make certain observations on the lot, which are intended to be as helpful as possible, references in the condition report to damage or restoration are for guidance. The absence of such a reference does not imply that an item is free from defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. The condition report is an expression of opinion only and must not be treated as a statement of fact. Measurements and weight are approximate and the potential bidder may re-ask it to be checked when asking for a condition report.