A LARGE MING-STYLE 'EIGHT PEACHES' BIANHU, QING DYNASTY China, 19th - early 20th century. The moon flask robustly potted and painted in deep cobalt-blue using the 'heaping and piling' technique with a central roundel of eight peaches and a bat on each side, surrounded by lotus blooms borne on meandering leafy scrolls, the foot with a band of lingzhi below a lappet border, the neck with elephant handles. Provenance: Acquired in China during the 1940s by a Swiss civil engineer and thence by descent in the same family. Condition: Only minor wear and minimal firing flaws. Extremely rare in this magnificent state of preservation! Weight: 9.6 kg Dimensions: Height 51 cm This circular flattened flask form with decorative side handles appears to have entered the Chinese porcelain repertoire through the influence of glass vessels from Western Asia. Such forms became established in the early 15th century and reached new heights of popularity and inventive decoration in the 18th century. This large flask shows an interesting combination of decorative styles, all with a touch of archaism, which reflects the increasing fascination with antiques in the mid-Qing period. The lotus scrolls encircling both sides of the flask resemble those of early porcelains from the Ming dynasty. The lingzhi, that create a band around the foot, are found on some of the most important porcelains from the Yongle and Xuande periods, and later again during the Yongzheng era. The eight peaches, which create the central roundel on each side of the flask, accompanied by a single bat, are consumed by immortals due to their mystic virtue of conferring longevity on all who eat them. Peaches, symbolizing immortality (or the wish for a long and healthy life), are common in Chinese art, appearing frequently in paintings and many other forms of art, often in association with other symbols of luck or longevity, such as the bats present on this flask. The skill of the decorator can be seen in the fact that he has managed to combine all these styles to create an interesting and harmonious overall design. The handles on flasks of this type vary from simple straps to multiple clouds. However, the handles on this flask are modeled as archaistic elephant heads and springing lingzhi. These create particularly attractive handles, but their slender form and the small area of contact with the neck of the vessel make it clear that these handles were not for use, but strictly for decorative purposes, to provide balance to the overall shape. Note the six-character Qianlong seal mark at the base. Auction result comparison: Compare with a related moon flask at Christies London in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 10 May 2011, lot 270, sold for GBP £79,250. 大型仿明纏枝仙桃青花象鼻雙耳扁壺，清代 中國，十九至二十世紀初。 扁壺又稱"抱月瓶"，此瓶中央可見八個仙桃，每側一隻蝙蝠，周圍西番蓮纏枝紋。 來源： 購於1940年代在中國工作的瑞士工程師，自此保存於同一家族至今。 品相： 僅輕微磨損與燒製瑕疵，極爲稀有。 重量： 9.6 公斤 尺寸： 高 51 厘米