A CLOISONNE ENAMEL 'TAOTIE' ARCHAISTIC BEAKER VASE, GU, 17TH-18TH CENTURY China. The vase is enameled on the mid-section with a pair of taotie masks divided by gilt flanges, framed by gilt bowstrings enclosing key-fret and diaper bands, between upright petals on the trumpet neck with further taotie as well as archaistic scroll, surrounded by lotus blossoms and scrolling vines, and further taotie masks and archaistic scroll on the spreading foot.

Provenance: Sotheby's London, 16 May 2007, lot 389. The MacLean Collection of Asian Art Museum, acquired from the above, and deaccessioned in 2022. The MacLean Collection has been formed over the last fifty years by Barry MacLean, a businessman from Chicago, who began to collect in the early 1970s. Over time, he made many trips to Asia for business, and began to narrow his focus to ancient bronzes from China and their archaistic counterparts from later dynasties. The MacLean Collection of Asian Art is housed in a museum which was designed by Larry Booth and completed in 2003. Since 2004, the museum has published seven books, held thirteen exhibitions, lent objects to many other museums, and awarded a dozen fellowships to train future specialists and enthusiasts.
Condition: Excellent condition with old wear and small manufacturing flaws, as well as minor nicks and losses and associated old fills (inspected under strong blue light). The base with small structural fissures. All exactly as expected from authentic 18th-century cloisonné wares of this size. For a detailed video of the vase taken under strong blue light, please refer to the department.

Weight: 1,059 g
Dimensions: Height 25 cm

Expert's note: The present cloisonné gu is exceptional for its refined design of taotie masks, which are highly expressive and comparable to some of the most valuable cloisonné wares of the 18th century ever to come up for auction. Compare a cloisonné zun, with a Qianlong mark and of the period, at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 2 April 2019, lot 3517, sold for HKD 4,495,000; a cloisonné hu, dated Yongzheng to Qianlong period, at Christie's Hong Kong, 30 November 2020, lot 2905, sold for HKD 8,650,000; and a cloisonné fang gu, dated Yongzheng to Qianlong period, sold in these rooms, 15 October 2021, lot 4, sold for EUR 48,000.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Hong Kong, 6 April 2015, lot 176
Price: HKD 250,000 or approx. EUR 35,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A cloisonne enamel vase, gu, Qing dynasty, 18^th century
Expert remark: Compare the near identical form and closely related decoration with taotie masks, archaistic and lotus scroll as well as gilt flanges and bowstrings. Note the size (34 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams London, 7 June 2021, lot 671
Price: GBP 16,500 or approx. EUR 19,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A cloisonné enamel and gilt-bronze archaistic beaker vase, gu, Qianlong
Expert remark: Compare the related form and decoration with taotie and archaistic scroll, as well as the similar size (24.7 cm). Note the absence of bowstrings and flanges.


十七至十八世紀掐絲琺瑯饕餮紋觚
中國。銅胎鍍金，圓觚，弧腹，口及底外撇。通體藍釉地，圖案層次分明，繁密工細。頸部飾仰覆蕉葉紋，蕉葉紋内飾獸面紋，腹部與底邊飾獸面紋，紋飾對稱分佈。口沿外裝飾勾蓮紋。口內鎏金無紋飾。造型渾厚凝重，裝飾富麗堂皇。

來源：2007年5月16日倫敦蘇富比，lot 389。The MacLean Collection of Asian Art Museum收藏，購於上述拍賣，2022年出售。The MacLean Collection由來自芝加哥的商人 Barry MacLean 在50 年前創立，他於 1970 年代初開始收藏。 他曾多次前往亞洲從商，並開始將注意力集中在來自中國的古代青銅器和後世的仿古青銅器上。The MacLean Collection由Larry Booth設計並於 2003 年完工。自 2004 年以來，該博物館已出版了七本書，舉辦了十三次展覽，將藏品借給許多其他博物館，並用十幾個獎學金來培訓未來的專家和愛好者。
品相：狀況極好，有磨損和小的製造缺陷，以及輕微的劃痕和缺損以及相應的填補（在強藍光下檢查）。底部有小結構裂隙。與這種尺寸的十八世紀景泰藍器皿完全一致。有關在強藍光下拍攝的花瓶的詳細視頻，歡迎聯係我們。

重量：1,059 克
尺寸：高25 厘米

專家注釋：此次掐絲琺瑯饕餮紋精美且極富表現力，可與曾經進入拍賣的十八世紀的一些珍貴的掐絲琺瑯器相媲美。比如2019年4月2日在香港蘇富比拍賣的乾隆款與年代的掐絲琺瑯尊，lot 3517, 售價 HKD 4,495,000; 2020年11月30日香港佳士得雍正至乾隆時期掐絲琺瑯壺，lot 2905, 售價HKD 8,650,000; 2021年10月15日在本藝廊拍賣的雍正至乾隆時期的掐絲琺瑯方觚，lot 4, 售價EUR 48,000.

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2015年4月6日，lot 176
價格：HKD 250,000（相當於今日EUR 35,000）
描述：十八世紀清代掐絲琺瑯觚
專家評論：比較近乎相同的形式和裝飾，包括饕餮紋、拱門、勾蓮紋和扉棱。請注意其尺寸 (34 厘米)。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：倫敦邦瀚斯，2021年6月7日，lot 671
價格：GBP 16,500（相當於今日EUR 19,500）
描述：清乾隆銅胎掐絲琺瑯仿古饕餮紋觚
專家評論：比較與饕餮紋和獸面紋相近的形式和裝飾，以及相似的尺寸（24.7厘米）。注意沒有扉棱和分檔。