Fine Jiaqing blue-&-white vase

This imperial vase has a body made of fine clay and a very fine, unctuous glaze with trace greenish tint that are typical for Jiaqing (1796 - 1820 AD) imperial porcelain. The glaze is so smooth that it is pleasing to the touch; its surface has loss some shine of newly fired porcelain, due to more than 200 years of aging. Further evidence of this high quality imperial porcelains period includes: the body is very thin so that the mouth rim is thin like knife-edge and the body is semi-translucent, especially when seeing from the mouth toward the base, with the blue reign mark can be seen from inside against light. Such refined features distinguish this vase from later imitation Jiaqing vases that have thick body and mouth rim, not as smooth and very white and transparent glaze. The motifs include 4 medallions of flowers of the four seasons, which are separated by inter connecting vine-&-flower border that is very typical for Jiagqing too. The similar vine pattern also graces the lower neck. A border of ru-yi head decorates the mouth rim, which is a very common border decoration during Qianlong and Jiaqing. Some flower petals are filled with many very fine lines in addition to background wash of pale blue. Its shape is called ( Shan Ping) ("award vase to be used as imperial award to subordinates, or in earlier days, Yu hu chews ping). The very typical reign mark is written in underglaze cobalt blue in the outer base. The blue is not floating on the surface of the glaze; unlike later imitations that have underglaze blue appears to float on or close to the surface of glaze. Perhaps due the softness of the fine clay, and due to slightly higher than usual firing temperature (>1350 degree C), the cobalt blue turned slightly gray and the foot rim has several short crack lines. (At firing temperature porcelain assumes a semi-solid state somewhat like butter at room temperature; the weight on the foot can sometime cause the rim to crack.)
清嘉慶青花賞瓶

Size: 5 in. (12.7cm.) Dia. x 9 in. (22.86 cm.) H

Provenance: From Dr. Robert I-San Lin, a senior Chinese artwork appraiser, whose grandfather was a major Chinese antique dealer in early 1900s. (Dr. Lin's bio, in Journal of Authentication of Artworks, 2015, is available on request). Brought to California in 1960s

http://www.karburys.com/lotdetail/1016

For condition inquiries please contact Karbury's at info@karburys.com