A CHAMPLEVE AND ENAMEL WALL VASE, GUANGDONG TRIBUTE TO THE IMPERIAL COURT, QIANLONG China, 1736-1795. Of flattened form, the gilt bronze baluster body supported on a short spreading foot and rising to a flared neck, the mouth and foot rims are three-lobed. Inlaid at the center with a haitang-shaped and finely enameled plaque neatly painted with two court ladies seated in a lush garden with willows, rockwork, and flowers, one playing the flute. The plaque is encircled by raised kuilong executed in champlevé enamel, the foot and base of the neck with similar kuilong and with an enameled taotie mask below the mouth.

Provenance: From a North German private collection, assembled before 2007.
Condition: The canton enamel plaque with small repairs to lost enamels, the vase further with some dents and nicks, light surface scratches, manufacturing flaws such as expected pitting, minor old wear to gilt. Overall presenting remarkably well, the condition consistent with age.

Weight: 579.2 g
Dimensions: Height 21 cm

The back with a circular aperture within a rectangular recess for wall suspension.

Palace archival records confirm that significant quantities of enamel and champlevé wares were produced in the Guangdong province with a wide range of designs that included luxurious and eye-catching pieces such as the present wall vase. Yang Boda notes the high quality of champlevé wares made in Guangzhou, the capital of the province, adding that they were 'second to none during the whole Qing dynasty' (see Tributes from Guangdong to the Qing Court, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1987, page 54). During the 18^th century, Guangzhou had become an important artistic center as craftsmen active there were in very close contact with European missionaries and traders bringing to China new and innovative techniques. Wares made in these foreign techniques were highly coveted by the Imperial household, especially during the Qianlong era, hence a number of such champlevé wares were sent as tribute gifts from Guangdong to the Imperial court in Beijing. During the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, the manufacture of champlevé, cloisonné and painted enamel products flourished to achieve its most sophisticated level in both range and quality.

Expert's note: Champlevé wall vases only seldomly appear on the market. The present lot - with its unique addition of a finely enameled plaque - seems to have no comparable examples found in private or public collections and hence must be considered exceedingly rare.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams London, 13 May 2010, lot 401
Estimate: GBP 15,000 or approx. EUR 24,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A fine champlevé enamel and gilt-bronze baluster wall vase, late Qianlong
Expert remark: Compare the related champlevé enameling and similar kui dragons. Note that this vase is of almost the same size (18.3 cm) but lacks the canton enamel plaque.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Remotely related
Auction: Christie's Hong Kong, 29 May 2013, lot 2068
Price: HKD 3,150,000 or approx. EUR 475,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A very rare Imperial champleve and gilt-bronze archaistic vase, hu, Qianlong
Expert remark: Note that this is not a wall vase and of significantly larger size (39.3 cm) than the present lot



乾隆内填琺瑯壁瓶，廣東進貢
中國，1736-1795年。扁瓶形，撇口，束頸，豐肩，下收腹，底足外撇。頸部中央一道弦紋。瓶身開光鑲嵌精美琺瑯瓷牌，兩位仕女坐在園中柳樹下，四周鮮花環繞，假山亭子。開光周圍是用内填琺瑯描繪夔龍紋和饕餮紋。

來源：德國北部私人收藏，購於2007年之前。
品相：琺瑯面有小修復，花瓶有一些凹痕和刻痕，表面有輕微劃痕，製作瑕疵，例如麻點、鎏金的輕微磨損。整體狀況良好，與年齡相吻合。

重量：579.2 克
尺寸：高21 厘米

背面帶有矩形凹槽，圓形孔，用於牆壁懸掛。

宮廷檔案記錄，廣東出產了大量琺瑯和内填琺瑯器，種類繁多，其中包括現在的壁掛瓶等華麗的作品。楊伯達指出，廣州製造的内填琺瑯瓷器質量上乘，說它們“在整個清朝都是首屈一指的”（參見《清代廣東貢品》，香港中文大學，1987年） ，第 54 頁）。十八世紀，廣州已成為重要的藝術中心，活躍的工匠與歐洲傳教士和商人密切接觸，為中國帶來了新的創新技術。以這些外來工藝製作的器物，深受皇室喜愛，尤其是乾隆年間，廣東多將此類瓷器作為貢品送入北京朝廷。乾隆年間，琺瑯、景泰藍、琺瑯製品的製造蓬勃發展，在品種和質量上都達到了最高水平。

專家注釋：内填琺瑯壁掛花瓶很少出現在市場上。本拍品還有精美的開光，似乎在私人或公共收藏中沒有找到同類藏品，因此十分珍貴。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦邦瀚斯，2010年5月13日，lot 401
估價：GBP 15,000（相當於今日EUR 24,000）
描述：乾隆晚期内填琺瑯壁瓶
專家評論：比較相近的内填琺瑯描繪夔龍紋。請注意尺寸幾乎相同 (18.3厘米)，但沒有琺瑯瓷牌。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：稍微相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2013年5月29日，lot 2068
價格：HKD 3,150,000（相當於今日EUR 475,500）
描述：清乾隆鏨胎填琺瑯獸面紋活環耳壺
專家評論：請注意此壺非壁掛式花瓶，尺寸比現拍品大(39.3厘米) 。