Estimate

2.800 - 4.000

Session

8 May 2026

Description

China, Qing Dynasty, Kangxi Period (1662-1722)

Of porcelain decorated in underglaze cobalt blue and copper red

Of baluster form, with short neck and everted rim

Decorated with three fish

Two geometric bands to the shoulder and a band of stylised petals to the base

The base bearing an apocryphal Chenghua four-character mark in underglaze blue

(restoration to the neck)



清康熙 釉里红青花三鱼纹小赏瓶，撇口短颈，баluster器形，肩饰几何纹，近足饰变形莲瓣纹，底书青花「成化年制」四字寄托款（颈部修复）

Height: 13,5 cm

Additional Information

Note:

The combination of underglaze cobalt blue and copper red (qinghua youlihong) is one of the most demanding techniques in Chinese porcelain, owing to the difficulty of reconciling both pigments in a single firing. Although both require a high-temperature reducing atmosphere, copper red demands extremely rigorous thermal and reduction control to develop its intended tone, at the risk of volatilising or turning grey and dull, whereas cobalt offers a substantially wider tolerance in the kiln. The mastery of this technique, revived at the imperial Jingdezhen kilns during the Kangxi reign after decades of decline, stands as a testament to the technical excellence achieved in this period. The fish motif is among the most widespread auspicious symbols in Chinese culture, based on the phonetic pun between 魚 (yú, "fish") and 餘 (yú, "abundance"), conveying wishes of prosperity and plenty.



Provenance:

Etlin Collection