A BLUE AND WHITE BEAKER VASE, GU, TRANSITIONAL PERIOD China, 17^th century. Of cylindrical form with flaring rim and foot, painted in underglaze blue with flowers issuing from a pierced rock, the reverse with two birds in flight, all above a band of ruyi shaped clouds encircling the sun, and with a stiff leaf border. The base left unglazed to reveal the buff ware, the rim with a pale brown glaze.

Provenance: S. Marchant & Son, London, 3 January 1968. A private collection in Rhineland, Germany, acquired from the above and thence by descent within the same family. A copy of the original signed and stamped invoice from Marchant, dated 3 January 1968 and confirming the dating above, accompanies this lot.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and manufacturing flaws, a minuscule glaze line to the rim.

Weight: 438.4 g
Dimensions: Height 20 cm

This simple and elegant cylindrical form belongs to a group of new shapes among the Transitional Wares. Its concave lines, derived from the earlier Ming prototype, are referred to by R.S. Kilburn as 'serving to emphasize the solid careful potting and good proportion of the pieces', see Transitional Wares and Their Forerunners, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1981, page 30.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's New York, 21 January 2009, lot 11
Price: USD 16,250 or approx. EUR 22,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large blue and white beaker vase, Transitional period, circa 1640
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, the floral decoration, and the café au lait rim. Note the much larger size (44.5 cm).



明清過渡時期青花花鳥紋花觚
中國，十七世紀。觚敞口微撇，口沿施醬釉，筒式腹，腹訓凸起一周，近底微外撇，平底無釉。白釉泛青，青花艷麗，外壁紋飾共有三層上層主題圖案繪花鳥圖，空中飛有兩隻翠鳥，另有洞石和花卉紋；中層簡潔花卉紋；下層繪蕉葉紋一周。

來源：倫敦S. Marchant & Son藝廊，1968年1月3日；德國萊茵州私人收藏，購於上述藝廊，保存在同一家族至今。隨附一份Marchant於1968年1月3日出具並蓋章的原始發票副本。
品相：狀況極好，有輕微磨損和製造缺陷，邊緣有極小的釉面裂紋。

重量：438.4 克
尺寸：高20 厘米

這種古樸典雅的花觚，屬於過渡時期器皿中的新造型。其凹線源自早期的明代原型，參見 R.S. Kilburn 1981年Transitional Wares and Their Forerunners ，香港美術館，頁30。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2009年1月21日，lot 11
價格：USD 16,250（相當於今日EUR 22,000）
描述：大約1640年明清過渡時期青花花觚
專家評論：比較非常相近的外型、花卉紋和瓶口醬釉。請注意此瓶尺寸較大 (44.5 厘米)。