A MAGNIFICENT FAMILLE ROSE SGRAFFIATO LIME-GREEN BOTTLE VASE, QIANLONG MARK AND PROBABLY LATE IN THE PERIOD Expert's note: Coated in an even and elegant lime-green glaze, this bottle vase is special for its restrained and uncluttered design of vibrantly colored floral sprays. While its color scheme, pattern, and use of the subtle sgraffiato ground are well-rooted in the exuberant porcelain style developed in the 18th century, the sparsely scattered sprays are an innovation and evidence of an attempt at reducing decorative elements to achieve a balanced and refined design, clearly a hallmark of the Qianlong era. While this author agrees with Christie's previous assertion that the vase was probably made during the late Qianlong period, we want to go one step further and state that it is almost certainly of the period, as clearly indicated by the exceptional enameling and great attention to the many details of the blossoms, with meticulously executed calyxes, stamens, and pollen.

China, c. 1780-1795. The globular body supported on a spreading foot and rising to a tall cylindrical neck. Finely decorated around the body with blossoming peony, chrysanthemum, and prunus blooms with leafy stalks, reserved on a lime-green sgraffiato ground. The base and interior enameled turquoise. The recessed base with an iron-red six-character seal mark da Qing Qianlong nianzhi and probably late in the period.

Provenance: Property of a University Museum, accession number 1960.45 (lacquered to base). Christie's New York, 21 September 2000, lot 411 (the mark erroneously described as “underglaze blue”). Collection of David and Diane Buck, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, acquired from the above. Two old labels to base, one from Christie's, inscribed '9476' (sale number) and '411' (lot number), the other inscribed 'Chinese. 18 c.' Prof. Emeritus David Douglas Buck (born 1936) is an American scholar of Chinese history who worked as a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 1972 until his retirement. He received his PhD from Stanford University and has written several books on Chinese history, including “Urban Change in China: Politics and Development in Tsianan Shantung 1890-1949”.
Condition: Superb condition with minor wear and firing irregularities. The vase slightly leaning.

Weight: 1,888 g
Dimensions: Height 34.2 cm

Literature comparison:
The flowers on this vase are similar to those on a turquoise-enameled vase with a gilt Qianlong seal mark from the collection of A.J.B. Kiddell included in the O.C.S. exhibition, The Arts of the Ch'ing Dynasty, London, 1964, no. 213.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams London, 8 November 2012, lot 80
Price: GBP 37,250 or approx. EUR 55,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A famille rose green-ground bottle vase, Qianlong seal mark
Expert remark: Note the underglaze-blue Qianlong seal mark and the size (28.2 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's London, 10 May 2011, lot 292
Price: GBP 37,250 or approx. EUR 56,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A famille rose lime-green-ground bottle vase, Jiaqing/Daoguang period, early 19^th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related floral decoration on a lime-green sgraffiato ground. Note the size (28.2 cm).

乾隆款黃地粉彩花卉紋長頸瓶，或爲乾隆朝後期
中國，約1780-1795年。瓶直口，細長頸，圓鼓腹，矮圈足。通體施淡黃色釉，暗刻圖花紋，如牡丹、菊花與梅花等粉彩花卉紋。瓶內和圈足內施淡綠色釉。圈足内礬紅釉六字款“大清乾隆年製”。年代或為乾隆後期。

專家注釋：長頸瓶高雅的淡黃色釉料，花卉紋色彩鮮豔清麗，構圖舒散，顯然是乾隆時代的標誌。 雖然筆者同意佳士得之前的說法，即此瓶可能是乾隆晚期的，但我們想更進一步，說它幾乎可以肯定是那個時期的，比如卓越的琺瑯和花卉紋的細節，精心繪製的花萼和花蕊。
來源：一個大學美術館舊藏，編號 1960.45 (見瓶底)；紐約佳士得2000年9月21日，lot 411 (款錯寫為“青花”)；美國威斯康星州密爾沃基David 與Diane Buck收藏，購於上述拍賣。底部兩個標籤，一個是佳士得拍賣編號“9476”與拍號“411”，另一個上寫著“Chinese. 18 c.”。Emeritus David Douglas Buck (出生於1936) 教授是一位美國中國歷史學者，1972 年至退休，一直在威斯康星大學密爾沃基分校擔任教授。他在斯坦福大學獲得博士學位，並撰寫了多本關於中國歷史的書籍，包括《Urban Change in China: Politics and Development in Tsianan Shantung 1890-1949”》（中國的城市變遷：1890-1949 年山東天安的政治與發展）。
品相：狀況極佳，輕微磨損，燒製不規則。花瓶瓶身微微傾斜。

重量：1,888 克
尺寸：高34.2 厘米

文獻比較：
此瓶的花卉紋與一件鎏金乾隆印記綠松石琺瑯彩花瓶，收藏於A.J.B. Kiddell收藏，見東方陶瓷學會，《The Arts of the Ch'ing Dynasty》，倫敦，1964年，編號213。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：倫敦邦瀚斯，2012年11月8日，lot 80
價格：GBP 37,250（相當於今日EUR 55,000）
描述：松石綠地粉彩錦上添花紋膽瓶 「大清乾隆年製」篆書款
專家評論：請注意青花乾隆款和尺寸 (28.2 厘米)。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦佳士得，2011年5月10日，lot 292
價格：GBP 37,250（相當於今日EUR 56,500）
描述：嘉慶道光時期黃地粉彩瓶
專家評論：比較非常相近的黃地花紋裝飾。請注意尺寸(28.2 厘米)。