Ref: W801
£ 12,500
Price is subject to availability and market conditions.
Near pair of Chinese blue and white bottle vases, Kangxi (1662-1722), the globular bodies with tall columnar necks, the bodies and necks decorated in bright underglaze cobalt blue with a continuous design of foliage and stylised flower heads; the shoulders with a wide bands containing white floral scroll reserved against a blue ground, the rims with narrow bands of half-prunus blossom against a wave-pattern ground, the bases marked ‘G’ in underglaze blue within a double circle
Notes:
The unusual ‘G’ mark can be found on other pieces, both blue and white and famille verte, probably exported to Europe during this period. Such examples include a pair of famille verte bottle vases in the collection of the Rijksmuseum and illustrated in the work detailed above (p.260, no.299); a pot in the collection of the Groninger Museum (Mello Backer Bequest 1899), and a famille verte hexagonal teacup at the British Museum, from the collection of Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks (Franks.894). Professor Jörg supports the theory of this ‘G’ mark corresponding with a particular person, probably a Dutch merchant in the 17th century, citing the similar use of a single initial to a group of blue and white Japanese apothecary bottles (p.259).
Some scholars have speculated that if you turn the mark round it could stand for the Persian letter ye indicating that the vases were made for a Persian or Mughal customer. See see Daniel Suebsman and Daniela Antonin, Kangxi Porcelain Treasures of the Kangxi Period, Hetjens Deutsches Keramikmuseum, Dusseldorf, 2016, cat. no. 148.
Similar examples can be seen in the Met, British Museum and the Victoria and Albert museum.
