A Chinese Export Tobacco Leaf porcelain soup tureen circa 1775

Ovoid shape, allover decorated with typical motifs, the handles and finial in the form of flowers.

(H: 8 in. W: 14 in. D: 11 in.)

Provenance

Sotheby's, New York, Property from the Collection of Mrs. Paul Mellon: Interiors, November 21, 2014, lot 576
Private Collection.

lid: overall colors remain vibrant and intact, with some expected wear, scrapes, abrasions, and losses to enamel commensurate with age and use; some repaired breaks to petals on flower finial / knob, with retouching evident, an area of retouching to a greenish yellow leaf that fluoresces under UV light, some minor old chips / knicks along rim, an old chip to underside lip; tureen base: overall with colors remaining vibrant, repaired breaks to both flower handles to stems of both with fluorescence under UV light, repaired break to one flower which was apparently reattached as seen by fluorescence at join to body and to interior of tureen, some minor loss and wear to enamel commensurate with age and use