Emperor Kangxi reigned from 1662-1722, the longest reign in Chinese history. It was
a prosperous time for the nation in economics and trade as well as in the arts; it was
a great period of production of high quality porcelain with styles and shapes never
seen before. There were pieces being made for export as well as for the domestic
market and of course, the Emperor and court.
The cover piece is an impressive rouleau vase (no.11) painted with a continuous
scene of elegant ladies of the court. It has impeccable provenance, having been in
many famous collections such as the T.Y. Chao Collection, the Roy Davids Collection
and the Martin Erdmann Collection, it was also loaned to The Denver Museum for 10
years from 1995 and previously exhibited in the Victoria & Albert Museum in 1970.
The pair to this vase, a gift from the Salting Bequest, is in the Victoria and Albert
Museum.
One of the imperial mark and period pieces in the exhibition is the saucer dish
(no. 10), painted with three standing figures from the Water Margin stories, with
each figure identified by a label on his clothing. It is one of a unique set where the
undersides have a green glaze as well as a Kangxi reign mark.
Another piece of note is a very rare dated baluster vase (no. 25) of guanyin zun form
with a scene of the General and Minister Guo Ziyi beside his wife on his seventieth
birthday. The vase is dated 1701 in a two-column dated couplet relating to a winter
day in the Xinsi year.
The pair of fishbowls (no. 38) are in remarkable condition for their size and weight.
They are painted with fantastic large carp, shrimp and crab on the interior, it’s a
wonderful use of the iron red in the Kangxi period.
At 50.8 cm high, the pair of famille verte large ovoid vases and covers (no. 24)
formerly in the Ionides Collection, hold a commanding presence. Like most pieces in
the exhibition they have wonderful provenance, they were sold in the original
auction of the contents of Buxted Park by Sotheby’s London on 2nd July 1963. It is
unusual for the covers of this type of jars to survive.
The exhibition will be held at Marchant’s gallery:
120 Kensington Church Street, from 30th October to 10th November, coinciding with Asian Art Week in London, 2nd-11th November 2017.
A catalogue is available, priced £100 (incl. p&p within the UK or EU). The catalogue will also be online on Marchant’s website, www.marchantasianart.com from Wednesday 18th October.
Gallery & Exhibition opening times:
Monday – Friday 10:00-17:30
Saturday 4th Nov 10:00-20:00, late night opening
Sunday 5th Nov 10:00-15:00
Above – No. 10
Chinese imperial porcelain famille verte deep saucer dish painted with three standing figures from the stories of the Water Margin
6 7/8 inches, 17.5 cm diameter.
Six-character mark of Kangxi within a double ring in underglaze blue and of the period, circa 1690.
• Formerly in the Mr and Mrs E. C. Blake Collection.
• Formerly in the Sir Alfred Aykroyd Collection.
No. 11
Chinese porcelain famille verte vase of rouleau form, with high shoulder, cylindrical neck, and galleried rim, painted on the body in a continuous scene with ten beautiful ladies of the court.
16 7/8 inches, 42.8 cm high.
Kangxi, circa 1690.
• Formerly in the Martin Erdmann Collection.
• Mallet & Son, London.
• Formerly in the collection of Captain Vivian Bulkeley-Johnson, who formed The Mount Trust Collection.
• Formerly in the T. Y. Chao Collection.
• Formerly in the Roy Davids Collection
No. 38
Pair of Chinese porcelain famille verte large two handled fish bowls
The rim 23 inches, 58.5 cm diameter.
Kangxi, circa 1715, together with later European gilt wood stands.
• One formerly in the collection of Madame Von Sung Yang, wife of the late Dr. Ho Ching Yang (1900-1964). The other from a Scottish castle.
