AN UNDERGLAZE-BLUE AND COPPER-RED 'LOTUS' WASHER AND WATERDROPPER, KANGXI PERIOD China, 1662-1722. The furled lotus leaf-shaped washer with underglaze-blue veins and a molded conch dressed in copper red to the interior, applied stems and pods wrapping the exterior, a bud-form water dropper with copper-red striated petals set to one side. Provenance: C. Y. Tse Antiques and Collectibles, Hong Kong, mid-1980s. The collection of Sir Mark Heath, acquired from the above, and thence by descent within the same family. An old collector's label 'M. E. Heath Collection' as well as an old hand-inscribed merchant label from C. Y. Tse, '1736-1796 [sic]', to base. Sir Mark Evelyn Heath KCVO CMG (1927-2005) was a British diplomat who served as the United Kingdom's first Ambassador to the Holy See between 1982 and 1985. His appointment represented the resumption of full diplomatic relations between Britain and the Holy See for the first time since Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church in 1534. After leaving the Vatican, Sir Mark became Head of Protocol for the Hong Kong Government. During this time he developed a passion for Chinese works of art. Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear and firing irregularities, such as small firing cracks, glaze recesses, and dark spots. Two microscopic glaze nibbles. Weight: 142.9 g Dimensions: Width 12 cm Literature comparison: Compare a closely related washer and water dropper in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, object number AK-RAK-1972-3, and another illustrated in J. Ayers, Chinese Ceramics in the Baur Collection, vol. 2, no. A226, both dated to the 17th century. Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related washer and water dropper, also dated to the Kangxi period and of identical size and near-identical design, differing only in the molded spider (instead of the conch on the present lot), sold by Rob Michiels Auctions on 8 December 2018, lot 523, for EUR 8,925. 康熙朝青花釉裏紅蓮葉筆洗和硯滴 中國，1662-1722年。捲曲的荷葉形筆洗，青花描繪葉子脈理。葉子上可見一個小蝸牛，釉裏紅勾勒。葉子外緣可見小蓮蓬和莖。釉裏紅蓮花花骨朵狀硯滴。 來源：上世紀八十年代中期香港C. Y. Tse 古玩和收藏。Mark Heath爵士收藏，購於上述藝廊，保存在同一家族至今。手寫老藏家收藏標簽 “M. E. Heath Collection” 以及C. Y. Tse藝廊注釋 “1736-1796 [sic]”。Mark Evelyn Heath KCVO CMG 爵士(1927-2005) 曾是英國外交官，1982 年至 1985 年期間擔任英國首任駐羅馬教廷大使。他的任命標誌著英國與羅馬教廷自亨利八世於 1534 年與天主教會決裂以后首次全面恢復外交關係。離開梵蒂岡後，Mark Heath成為香港政府禮賓司司長。在任期間，他對中國藝術產生了濃厚的興趣。 品相：狀況極好，輕微磨損，燒製不規則，如小的燒製裂紋、釉面凹陷和黑斑。 兩個微小釉面開片。 重量：142.9克 尺寸：寬12 厘米 拍賣結果比較：一件康熙朝幾乎相同尺寸和造型的筆洗和硯滴，見Rob Michiels 拍賣行2018年12月8日 lot 523, 售價 EUR 8,925。