A FAMILLE ROSE ‘PIPA’ WALL VASE, LATE QING DYNASTY TO REPUBLIC PERIODChina, 1850-1949. Finely modeled as a pipa wrapped in a green pouch, enameled with a dense network of blue, green, and red scrolling vines issuing lotus, chrysanthemums, peonies, and other flowers, tied with a red sash decorated with gilt swastika and shou symbols. The pipa painted in a dark brown and neatly dotted in gilt to the top.Provenance: Dr. Ma Luk, Hong Kong, and thence by descent in the same family. A private collection, Arizona, USA, acquired from the above. Dr. Ma Luk (1883-1963) graduated from the Hong Kong College of Medicine and became one of the leaders of the local medicalmunity in Hong Kong. After spending a few years working for the Chinese Public Dispensary, he had the rare distinction of being the first Chinese doctor to join a European group practice in 1908, Drs. Fitzwilliams and Allan. He later started his own clinic in Central District and gradually expanded it into a large group practice, the Ma Luk Sun Hospital. Dr. Ma was also a director of the newly formed Yeung Wo Nursing Home in 1922. He served the Hong Kong Chinese Medical Association as vice president from 1933-1934 and was also active as the Chairman of the Chinese Club. He was admitted to the Order of St. John for his long service for the St. John Association and Brigade. Dr. Ma Luk was an important art collector and patron.Condition: Minor old wear, a single restored break, and little glaze flaking.Weight: 798 gDimensions: Height 28.6 cmLiteratureparison:The design of covering vessels with what appears to be textile packaging can usually be found on famille rose vases, for example, see a blue-and-white vase decorated with a famille rose design imitating drape brocade tied in a knot around the vase, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Imperial Packing Art of the Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2000, pl. 66. The effect of this decoration is the skillful blending of two materials, silk and porcelain.Auction resultparison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 28 November 2019, lot 100Price: HKD 200,000 or approx.EUR 24,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A famille-rose 'pipa' wall vase, Republican periodExpert remark:pare the closely related form and decoration. Note the similar size (31.5 cm), fitted wood stand, and added wooden pegs.清末民初粉彩琵琶壁瓶中國，1850-1949年。精美的琵琶造型，包在綠色包袱中，繪有密集的纏枝蓮花、菊花、牡丹和其他花朵紋，包袱上係著紅色描金蝴蝶結，裝飾有卍字和壽字紋。琵琶成深褐色，頂部鎏金。