AN IMPERIAL GILT-DECORATED ‘TROMPE-L'OEIL’ PORCELAIN VAJRA, CHINA, 18TH CENTURY
The four-pronged porcelain vajra is masterfully glazed in imitation of worn gilt-bronze and splashes of green to simulate malachite encrustations. The prongs extend out of dragon mouths and are flanked by lotus petals. The central band shows a robin’s egg glaze with perfect porcelain copies of lapis lazuli and coral cabochon inlays.


Provenance:
From a Swedish private collection.

Condition:
Expected old wear, three prongs with small old repairs, some firing irregularities and minor glaze flakes, tiny nicks and losses.

Weight: 130.5 g
Dimensions: Length 16.4 cm


The vajra
, a symbol of indestructibility and power, is one of the primary ritual symbols in Tibetan Buddhism. Derived from Sanskrit and translating to both thunderbolt and diamond, the vajra consists of two sets of prongs from which lotus petals emanate, flanking a central sphere. Often used in combination with a bell, which represents feminine wisdom, the vajra symbolizes the masculine attribute of skillful means or compassion.


Vajras are considered to be imbued with magic
. The famous Manhattan-based Chinese art dealer Robert H. Ellsworth once owned a related bronze vajra and shared an interesting story: It was given to Mr. Ellsworth by a dear friend who, having learned that Mr. Ellsworth was ill, sent the vajra from his personal shrine to Mr. Ellsworth with instructions to sleep with it under his pillow. Two weeks later, Mr. Ellsworth called his friend to report he had made a full recovery. From that point on, the vajra remained on Mr. Ellsworth’s bedroom headboard, resting at the feet of a seated yogi.


Trompe l’oeil porcelain
is a highly unique genre of Imperial porcelain objects made during the Qing dynasty. It refers to porcelain made in decorated imitation of other objects. These objects varied from archer’s rings to imitation wood basins, from lacquer boxes to auspicious symbols like this imitation-bronze vajra. During a rare private viewing of Qing trompe l’oeil porcelain at the National Palace Museum, Chih-En Chen delved into the museum archeology behind ten pieces-these include the comparisons given here and more-with the hopes of finding where these objects were found in situ and whether this was inside or outside the Forbidden City. He discovered that many of the pieces were in fact in the Forbidden city and that they were assembled in only five places: the Jingrengong, the Yangxindian, the Yongshougong, the Shouangong, and the Ningshougong. Chen managed to discover a link between all these locations, namely that they were all associated with buildings intended for the women of the court living at the Forbidden City.
The only exception to this is Nigshougong, the Qianlong emperor’s retirement palace.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 October 2013, lot 3031
Price: HKD 9,640,000 or approx.
EUR 1,420,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare trompe-l’oeil celadon reticulated vase, seal mark and period of Qianlong
Expert remark: This trompe-l’oeil porcelain is made in imitation of nuts and dried fruits on a plate with a porcelain vase. Note the similar expert craftsmanship of the imitation nuts and fruits which are masterfully glazed.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2007, lot 516
Price: HKD 5,360,000 or approx.
EUR 950,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An unusual pair of ‘famille-rose’ trompe-l’oeil wall vases, marks and period of Qianlong
Expert remark: These two vases are made in the imitation brocade fabric and wood in form of a pipa instrument tucked inside a brocade bag tied at the neck. Note the similar glazing to imitation wood along the pipa’s neck.




十八世紀御製仿真描金陶瓷金剛杵

四股陶瓷金剛杵，巧妙模仿鎏金銅表面和綠松石鑲嵌物。四股從龍口伸出，兩側鑲有蓮瓣。中央飾帶上飾有爐鈞釉釉，並配有仿青金石和珊瑚的鑲嵌物。


來源：
瑞典私人收藏

品相：
磨損，小修，一些燒製不規則和輕微刻痕和缺損。

重量：130.5 克
尺寸：長16.4 厘米


仿真瓷器是清代宮廷瓷器中一種非常獨特的流派
，仿其他器物裝飾而成的瓷器。這些物品從扳指到仿木盆，從漆盒到像這個仿銅金剛杵。在國立故宮博物院對清代仿真瓷器私人參觀期間，陳之恩深入研究了十件作品背後的博物館考古學。發現，很多碎片其實都在紫禁城裡，而且只集中在五個地方：景仁宮、養心殿、永壽宮、壽安宮、寧壽宮。陳設法發現了所有這些地點之間的聯繫，即它們都與紫禁城中為宮廷女性居住的建築有關。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，2013年10月8日，lot 3031
價格：HKD 9,640,000（相當於今日
EUR 1,420,000
）
描述：清乾隆粉青釉浮雕貼粉彩像生堅果托盤連饕餮紋描金交泰瓶 《大清乾隆年製》款
專家評論：這種仿真瓷器是用仿堅果和乾果製成的，放在帶有瓷花瓶的盤子上。請注意仿堅果和水果的類似專業工藝，並經過精美的釉面處理。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，8 4月 2007年，lot 516
價格：HKD 5,360,000
EUR 950,000
（相當於今日）
描述：乾隆款及年代一對罕見粉彩仿真瓷壁瓶
專家評論：這兩個花瓶是仿錦織物和木材材質，形狀像琵琶，放在錦袋裡。請注意琵琶琴頸上與仿木材質。