A CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL DOUBLE-FISH VASE, QIANLONG TO JIAQING PERIOD China, 1736-1820. Cast as two entwined fish supported on a spreading foot, their mouths forming the opening of the vase, their bodies decorated in pale and dark blue, the foot with a wave pattern. The gilt rims with key-fret bands neatly inlaid in sapphire-blue enamels, a hallmark of Qianlong period cloisonné items.

Provenance: From a Croatian private collection, by repute acquired ca. 1918 and thence by descent. The base engraved, ‘Königl. Sächs. Hausmarschallamt 1908.’
Condition: Fair condition with some wear and manufacturing flaws, including expected pitting. Minor nicks, dents and losses with associated cracks.

Weight: 2,307 g
Dimensions: Height 30.5 cm

The fish is traditionally regarded as a symbol of fertility and abundance, and the entwined paired fish, homophone for continuous abundance, has long been favored as an auspicious symbol in Chinese decorative arts. It is also one of the Bajixiang, the Eight Buddhist Emblems.

Auction result comparison: Compare a pair of related cloisonné double-fish vases, 27.7 cm high, also dated Qianlong to Jiaqing period, at Christie’s Hong Kong in Masterpieces of the Enameller’s Art from the Mandel Collection on 30 May 2012, lot 3922, sold for HKD 620,000 (for a pair). Compare a pair of related cloisonné double-fish vases, 38 cm and 46.5 cm high, dated to the 18th century, at Christie’s London in Boulle to Jansen: An Important Private European Collection on 12 June 2003, lot 138, sold for GBP 17,238 (for a pair). Note that this pair of vases was sold over 18 years ago and thus the result does not adequately reflect the value of the lot.

乾隆至嘉慶時期銅胎掐絲琺琅雙魚紋瓶
中國，1736-1820年。瓶呈連體雙魚形，作相擁狀，口下飾雙鬚為耳，雙尾相交為足。魚主體掐絲，分別以淺藍與深藍釉為地。魚背鋸齒形鰭，魚腹雙鰭相交，靈芝形尾。魚唇與圈足處為銅胎雷紋。

來源: 克羅地亞私人收藏，據説購於約1918年，保存至今。底座刻“Königl. Sächs. Hausmarschallamt 1908” （皇室薩克森州衆議院元帥辦公室）。
品相: 品相良好，帶有一些磨損和製造缺陷，包括預期的點蝕。輕微劃痕、凹痕和損失。

重量: 2,307 克
尺寸: 高30.5 厘米

拍賣結果比較: 比較一對乾隆至嘉慶時期銅胎掐絲琺琅雙魚瓶，高 27.7 厘米，見香港佳士得Masterpieces of the Enameller’s Art from the Mandel Collection 2012年5月30日Lot 3922, 售價HKD 620,000 (一對)；比較一對相近的十八世紀銅胎掐絲琺琅雙魚瓶，分別高38 厘米與46.5 厘米，見倫敦佳士得Boulle to Jansen: An Important Private European Collection 2003年6月12日 lot 138, 售價GBP 17,238 (一對)。請注意，這對花瓶售於18 年前，因此結果並不能充分反映該拍品真實價值。