A copper-red 'bats' cong-form vase, Seal mark and period of Qianlong | 清乾隆 釉裏紅福祿紋琮式瓶 《大清乾隆年製》款

Collection of Francis X. Schoonmaker, acquired prior to 1887.

Collection of Job Male (1808-1891).

Francis X. Schoonmaker收藏，得於1887年之前

Job Male (1808-1891) 收藏

Catalogue of the Loan Collection of Paintings, and the Schoonmaker Collection of Porcelains and Cloisonné, at the Job Male Library, Art Gallery and Museum, part II, New Jersey, 1887, cat. no. 25. 

《Catalogue of the Loan Collection of Paintings, and the Schoonmaker Collection of Porcelains and Cloisonné, at the Job Male Library, Art Gallery and Museum》，卷II，新澤西，1887年，編號25

The form of the present vase, modeled after ritual jade cong, is more commonly found in monochrome glazes. The underglaze-red decoration, much favored during the early Ming dynasty but virtually abandoned after the Xuande period due to the very high failure rate during firing, was revived and mastered in the early Qing dynasty, around the 1670s in the Kangxi period. It became a standard practice although successful firing of the copper pigment remained particularly difficult hence wares decorated in this manner continued to be made in small quantities.

The Qianlong Emperor is known to have been a great admirer of archaic jades, and his collection surpassed that of any of his predecessors. It is therefore unsurprising that he would have commissioned the making of vases in shapes devised from jade prototypes. The present vase demonstrates a fusion of the the archaic form, cong, with a contemporary design, replete with symbolism. Bats have traditionally been the symbol of good fortune, and red bats were especially auspicious, red being the color which wards off demons and is homophonous with the word 'enormous' (hong), indicating especially great fortune. 

Only a small number of copper-red Qianlong vases of this type is known, including one from the W.W. Winkworth Collection, sold several times at auction, first in our London rooms, 12th December 1972, lot 103, then twice in our Hong Kong rooms, 23rd May 1978, lot 98 and 17th May 1988, lot 52. Another example sold in our London rooms, 12th December 1972, lot 103. A third example, although much smaller (12.4cm high) sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 29th November 1978, lot 279.