'THREE RAMS' BALUSTER PORCELAIN VASE, QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY, APOCRYPHAL IRON-RED SEAL MARK QIANLONG
In very good condition, apart a light star crack to the base close to the mark, and a firing defect to the joint of the lower neck, which was not well merged with the body, following the detachment at the joint of the neck of the vase, it was again annealed at low temperature with the consequence that at the joint the enamels are slightly over-fired, with some other minor firing imperfections, very small wear on the surface as well as some minute scratches and very minute flakes to the enamels, more evident at the joint of the neck.
Provenance: from the private property of a northern Italy lady and thence descendants


71,7 cm. high, 36 cm wide
Three Rams 'san yang' design that represents a change of fortune with the arrival of Spring and the New Year and is thus closely associated with New Year celebrations. The three rams are often shown together with the rising sun 'taiyang' to form the rebus for 'three ram 'yang' bring prosperity'. The Book of Changes Yijing first mentions the phrase san yang referring to the three male lines, called tai - the symbol of heaven. Tai is positioned under three female lines called kun that represent earth. Hence the phrase 'sanyang kaitai' which means the New Year brings renewal and a change in fortune.