Lot 30 A Chinese inscribed blue and white two-handled 'Immortals' censer

A Chinese inscribed blue and white two-handled 'Immortals' censer

Wanli mark and of the period, dated 1617

未知

€ 25.000 – € 50.000

WH: H. 30,3 cm, W. 26,7 cm, D. 18,1 cm

未知

Of rectangular form raised on four corner feet, the gently rounded sides painted in recessed panels reserved on a geometric diaper ground interspersed with cash motifs. The principal panels are decorated with the Eight Daoist Immortals divided into two groups of four in a continuous landscape, each carrying their characteristic attributes and accompanied by a crane. The two shorter sides are each painted with a pair of immortals, probably representing ‘Hanshan’ (寒山) and ‘Shide’ (拾得), also known as the ‘Hehe Erxian’ (和合二仙), and ‘Liu Hai’ with his three-legged toad. Above the main scenes are rectangular cartouches enclosing inscriptions, one reading Da Ming Wanli ding si nian zhi (‘Made in the Ding Si year of the Wanli reign’, corresponding to 1617), the other Wang Shengyu jiaqi (‘Beautiful vessel of Wang Shengyu’).
The waisted neck is embellished with reserves containing cranes and ruyi-head motifs against a floral diaper ground below a key-fret border encircling the rim. The shoulders are set with a pair of elegant upright scroll handles, while the interior is decorated with cloud scrolls and Daoist trigrams.
此器呈長方形，下承四隻角足，器壁四面微弧。主體於幾何錦地上飾凹形開光，間綴錢紋。兩側長方形開光內以青花通景繪八仙圖，八位仙人分作兩組，每組四人，各持法器，徜徉於山水之間，並伴有仙鶴。兩側短面分繪仙人圖，應為寒山、拾得，即 ‘和合二仙’，以及劉海與三足金蟾。主景上方各設長方形題款開光，一面書 ‘大明萬曆丁巳年製’，丁巳年即萬曆四十五年（1617），另一面書 ‘王省愚佳器’。
器頸束收，於花卉錦地上設開光，內繪仙鶴及如意雲頭紋，口沿環飾回紋。肩部兩側置一對挺立的卷軸形耳。內壁繪卷雲及道教八卦紋。
Reference:
A closely related censer dated 1577 from the collection of Sir Harry and Lady Garner is illustrated in 'The Art of the Ming Dynasty', Oriental Ceramic Society, London, 1957, no. 207, pl. 55.
Provenance:
Sotheby’s, London, 13 December 1977, Lot 471.
Bluett and Sons, London, acquired from the above.
A private collection, acquired from the above.
Sotheby’s, Hong Kong, 1 October 1999, lot 404.
S. Marchant & Son, London, with their label to the base.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium, acquired from the above on 6 October 2004 and accompanied by a copy of their original invoice. (see added scans)
Exhibited & published:
Published by Sheila Riddell in 'Dated Chinese Antiquities, 600–1650', 1979, plate 83, p.103. (See added scans.)
S. Marchant & Son, London, included in their November 2004 exhibition of 'Ming Blue & White: Jiajing–Chongzhen Including Dated Examples', and published in the accompanying catalogue, no. 30 and front cover. Also illustrated in their 2025 publication 'One Hundred Years', Vol. II, p. 54, fig. 1074.