A LARGE BLUE AND WHITE 'THREE FRIENDS OF WINTER' BALUSTER JAR AND COVER, KANGXI PERIOD China, 1662-1722. The massively potted vessel superbly painted with pheasants, other birds, and butterflies, amid craggy rockwork, peony, and the Three Friends of Winter (pine, bamboo, and plum), all below a diapered band at the shoulder, the neck and cover similarly decorated with flowers, the cover with a lotus bud finial. Provenance: From a notable private collection in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, Pennsylvania, USA. Thence by descent to the present owner. Condition: Superb condition with minor wear and firing flaws, such as dark spots, firing cracks, and glaze lines. A small hairline to the neck and a small area of kiln grit to the cover. A jar and original cover from the Kangxi period in such well-preserved condition must be considered extremely rare. Weight: 11.7 kg Dimensions: Height 59 cm Auction result comparison: Compare a related baluster jar and cover, also dated to the Kangxi period, of only slightly larger size (63 cm high), but painted with a hunting scene, at Christie's, 20 November 2012, lot 22, sold for EUR 91,000. 康熙大型青花“歲寒三友”將軍罐 中國，1662-1722。大型將軍罐上青花描繪了雉雞等鳥類、蝴蝶、假山、牡丹和歲寒三友松、竹、梅。肩部和頸部條紋狀裝飾帶。罐蓋蓮花鈕。 來源：美國賓夕法尼亞費城知名私人收藏，家族收藏直至現任藏家。 品相：狀態極佳，有輕微磨損和燒製缺陷，例如黑點、燒製裂紋和釉線。 頸部有一條細小裂線，蓋子上有一小塊窯磨砂。 如此保存完好的康熙年間將軍罐是極為少見的。 重量：11.7 公斤 尺寸：高59 厘米 拍賣結果比較：一件相近的康熙年間將軍罐，尺寸稍大 (高63 厘米), 狩獵場景，于佳士得2012年11月20日 lot 22, 售價EUR 91,000.