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Lot 428
A FINE CARVED SOAPSTONE PEONY EWER AND COVER
Estimated Value:
1.000 € - 1.500 €
Result:
1.683 € incl. Premium and VAT
Description:
China, 18th c.L. 19,8 cm
The globular teapot with finely incised scrollwork and an openwork twisted strap handle. The body is carved overall in high relief with peonies blossoms, stems and leaves supported on a low foot rim. The domed cover witf lion handle, all above with finely incised ground of wave pattern, carved from red, cream colored and grey Shoushan soapstone.
Old German private collection, bought by the father of the previous owner in the 1950’s in northern Germany
This is a very fine example of the art of Chinese soapstone carving. Similar examplesof this type of carving, dating from 1690 to 1797, comprising cups, brush rests, buckles, figures and ewers, are illustrated in ‚Ethnographic Objects in the Royal Danish Kunstkammer‘ pp. 186 - 192. The Danish Royal Collection is an invaluable reference sourcefor comparative dating of many Chinese and Japanese works of art for the
simple reason that inventory numbers were painted on the objects on their inception into the collection. These numbers have been used for each succesive inventory up to the present day, identifying each object and giving a positive date for their arrival in Europe. For the present ewer compare the ‚coffee put‘, number EBc83 on page 191, which appears to possibly emanate from the same workshop as our ewer. A very
similar ewer is published by Gerard Hawthorn ‚Oriental Works of Art‘, London 7.6. - 18.6. 2004, no. 73. Another similar ewer and cover dated to the 18th ct. has been bought for Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna 1887 and bears the inventory number PL417 - Few tiny chips to spout and extremities
