Lot 168 An extremely rare Chinese blue and white hexagonal salt

An extremely rare Chinese blue and white hexagonal salt

Wanli

未知

€ 40.000 – € 80.000

WDH: H. 14,8 cm, W. 13,7 cm, D. 12,2 cm

未知

Hexagonal pedestal salts of this type belong among the rarest forms within Chinese export porcelain. Their shape derives from late sixteenth and early seventeenth century Northern European silver salts, particularly Dutch and German examples, translated here into porcelain for the export market. The stepped foot, lion-mask supports and architectural construction reflect these Western models, while the decoration remains unmistakably Chinese.
The present example is decorated in underglaze cobalt blue with alternating panels of flower-filled vases and auspicious objects suspended with ribbons and tassels, motifs characteristic of late Ming kraak porcelain and closely associated with the Wanli period. The inclusion of flower sprays in vases represents a decorative development introduced during this period.
Salt was historically regarded as a valuable and prestigious commodity, and elaborate salts occupied an important place on aristocratic and royal tables. Porcelain examples remain exceptionally scarce and may have been made as special commissions.
此類六方高足鹽碟，是中國外銷瓷中最為罕見的器形之一。其造型源自十六世紀末至十七世紀初北歐的銀製鹽碟，尤以荷蘭及德國實例最為接近，後由中國工匠仿製成瓷，專供外銷市場。層疊式高足、獅首形支撐及建築式結構均體現出西方金屬器的影響，而紋飾則仍保留鮮明的中國風格。
本器以青花繪飾，六面相間描繪瓶插花卉及綬帶、流蘇懸掛的吉祥雜寶，均為明晚期克拉克瓷的典型紋樣，與萬曆時期的裝飾風格密切相關。以瓶盛放折枝花卉的圖案，亦是此時開始流行的裝飾形式。
鹽在古代曾是珍貴而具有身份象徵的商品，造型華麗的鹽碟在貴族及王室宴席上佔有重要地位。瓷製實例傳世極少，可能屬於專門訂製的外銷器物。
Reference:
An identical example was sold at Sotheby's London, 15 May 2007, lot 84. (sold GBP 162.000,00) (link), and is now in the Albuequerque Foundation, Sintra, Portugal. Illustrated in 'The RA Collection of Chinese Ceramics. A Collector's Vision', Maria Antonia Pinto de Matos, Jorge Welsh Books, pp. 194-195, no. 75, inv. no. 741.
For related examples of identical shape but different design, see: The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, accession no. C.566-1910 (link); Becky Macquire, 'Four Centuries of Blue and White. The Frelinghuysen Collection of Chinese and Japanese Export Porcelain', p. 106, no. 69 for a pair; Stedelijk Museum Kampen, The Netherlands. (link)
Provenance:
Jorge Welsh Works of Art, Lisbon/London, with their label to the base.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above in 2018.
Exhibited and published:
Jorge Welsh Works of Art, Lisbon/London, included in their 2017 exhibition of 'Turn of the Sea - Art from the Eastern Trade Routes' and published in the accompanying catalogue, pp. 142-145, no. 18.