A PAIR OF LARGE STEMMED FAMILLE ROSE 'LOVING' CUPS AND COVERS Qianlong/Jiaqing, circa 1790-1800 The lightly molded tall-stemmed cups painted to either side of the deep bowls with a composite mythical bird with phoenix-like hook-beaked head, multi-scaled feathers, and peacock-like tail feathers standing atop rockwork above a mound with peony and bushes against a plain backdrop, lightly molded leaf lappets below and a simple puce cell band with flower panels below the rim, the gilt entwined strap handles with molded floral attachments, the stems with further decoration above a spreading foot mirrored in the decoration to the domed covers with s-shaped branch finials. 13in (33cm) high (2). Footnotes: 乾嘉時期 約1790-1800年 粉彩描金《相愛》雙耳高足蓋杯一對 Published: Cohen & Cohen, Ladies First, Margate, 2007, p. 69, no. 43 出版： 倫敦Cohen & Cohen古董行，《Ladies First》，馬蓋特，2007年，頁69，圖版編號43 Loving cups are used in marriage ceremonies, the handles being held simultaneously by a couple as they drink together from the cup. The type is rare in Chinese export production, though examples are known in American collections, notably with the arms of Le Mesurier. The mythical composite bird, part phoenix, part peacock, can also be compared to a ribbon-tailed bird, shoudainiao (綬帶鳥), a species which was popular in Chinese imagery and said to derive derived from the Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisii).