A VERY RARE SMALL CELADON-GLAZED 'MONK'S CAP' EWER, QIANLONG SEAL MARK AND PERIOD | 清乾隆 粉青釉僧帽壺 《大清乾隆年製》款
Auction Closed
November 4, 11:12 AM GMT
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
A VERY RARE SMALL CELADON-GLAZED 'MONK'S CAP' EWER
QIANLONG SEAL MARK AND PERIOD
清乾隆 粉青釉僧帽壺 《大清乾隆年製》款
the compressed globular body rising from a short tapering foot, surmounted by a flaring cylindrical neck and a stepped, galleried 'monk's cap' collar, set to one side with a deep channelled spout opposite a curved strap handle with a raised ridge down the centre and a ruyi-head tab and terminal, applied overall with a celadon glaze with a subtle bluish tint, the base with a six-character seal mark in slip
Height 11.2 cm, 4⅜ in.
This charming ewer is special for its small size and brilliant celadon glaze. Its form, known as sengmaohu, or ‘monk’s cap’ ewer, derived from Tibetan ewers made of metal or wood and placed in front of altars for use in ablutions. This type of ewer was introduced to the imperial porcelain factory in Jingdezhen in the early Ming dynasty (1368-1644), and by the Qianlong period examples were made in a variety of sizes and monochrome glazes.
‘Monk’s cap’ ewers of this size are unusual, although a similar example with cover, from the S.C. Ko Tianminlou collection, is illustrated in Chinese Porcelain. The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection, Hong Kong, 1987, vol. I, pl. 158.