Opinion: Copper-red wares were a fixture of the Imperial household during the Yongzheng era, with dishes, bowls and cups of various sizes appearing much more frequently than stem cups let alone tazzas. On top of that, the present lot comes in pristine condition and with immaculate provenance, making it even rarer, and a notable highlight in even the most advanced collection of monochrome wares. Dating from the early heyday of Imperial production, around the time of Tang Ying’s arrival at Jingdezhen in 1728, where he was appointed by the Yongzheng Emperor to supervise the porcelain manufacture, the present lot is a powerful testimonial as to why monochrome wares became so popular among the most sophisticated scholars of modern day China.

China, 1723-1735. Superbly potted, the shallow rounded sides rising from a splayed hollow foot encircled by a molded bamboo node. The exterior glazed in a rich and warm red, the interior and base glazed white. The base with an underglaze-blue six-character mark da Qing Yongzheng nianzhi and of the period.

Provenance: Sotheby’s London, 25 May 1965, lot 168. Dr. Wou Kiuan, acquired from the above. Wou Lien-Pai Museum (1968-2022), collection number Q.8.08. A copy of the sale result list for the Sotheby’s auction on 25 May 1965, stating the buyer as ‘Wou’, accompanies this lot. Dr. Wou Kiuan (1910-1997) was a Chinese diplomat and noted scholar of Chinese art. His father, Wou Lien-Pai (1873-1944), was one the leading political figures of early 20th century China, remembered for his role as speaker and leader of parliament during the turbulent years of the Republican era. Dr. Wou himself embarked on an illustrious career in diplomacy until his retirement in 1952, when he settled in London and devoted the rest of his life to the study of Chinese art. It was no doubt fortuitous that Dr. Wou’s years of collecting coincided with an abundant availability of exceptional Chinese art on the London market. From the mid-1950s to the late 1960s he was able to form a collection of well over 1,000 works that together represented virtually every category of Chinese art. At the heart of Dr. Wou’s drive to collect was a burning desire to preserve the relics of China’s rich historical past scattered across Europe, and to promote Chinese art and culture. It is unclear when Dr. Wou conceived of the idea to create a place to house his collection, but in 1968 he opened the doors to the Wou Lien-Pai Museum, named in honor of his father. Over the years the Museum became a ‘must see’ destination for collectors, academics, and visiting dignitaries, and Dr. Wou would delight in leading his visitors through the galleries, recounting stories of China’s glorious history.
Condition: Some old wear and firing irregularities, such as dark spots, a glaze bubble to the well, small firing cracks, and minimal fritting. A minuscule chip to the rim with associated fill and hairline. The glaze with a splendid, unctuous feel. Refer department for or a video shot under strong blue light, confirming the overall fine condition.

Weight: 752.8 g
Dimensions: Diameter 20.9 cm

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 11 September 2019, lot 635
Price: USD 40,000 or approx. EUR 44,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A copper-red glazed stembowl, Yongzheng seal mark and period

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 22 March 2013, lot 1554
Price: USD 30,000 or approx. EUR 36,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A copper-red-glazed stem bowl, Yongzheng six-character mark in underglaze blue in a line and of the period

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 May 2021, lot 2991
Price: HKD 500,000 or approx. EUR 62,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A sacrificial-red glazed stem bowl, Yongzheng six-character mark in a line in underglaze blue and of the period



雍正款及年代霽紅釉高足碗
中國，1723-1735年。碗敞口，淺弧腹，下承中空高足，圈足外撇，圈足外壁起凸棱一道，形似竹節。碗內與圈足內部施白釉，色澤瑩潤，光亮潔淨；外施紅釉，釉面均勻。高圈足內近底處用青花“大清雍正年製”六字款。

專家注釋：雍正年間，霽紅器多為皇室用品，各種大小的盤、碗、杯比高腳杯出現的頻率要高得多，更不用說高足碗。 最重要的是，本拍品完好無損，來源可循，因此顯得更加稀有，同時也是單色釉器皿收藏中的一個亮點。 此拍品應該是1728年唐瑛到景德鎮受雍正皇帝之命督製瓷器之時的產品，那時為御制瓷器盛世之初，這件拍品有力地證明了單色瓷器為何如此盛行。

來源：1965年5月25日倫敦蘇富比，lot 165。吳權博士收藏；吳蓮伯美術館，館藏編號 Q.C.186。吳權(1910-1997)博士 曾是一位中國外交家以及知名中國藝術收藏家。他的父親吳蓮伯 (1873-1944)先生曾是二十世紀初中國重要政治人物，因在民國動蕩歲月中擔任國會議員及議長而聞名。1952 年，吳博士在外交領域走上了輝煌之路，直到他退休後定居倫敦，並將餘生奉獻給了對中國藝術的研究。毫無疑問，吳權博士多年的收藏，與大量中國藝術珍品現身倫敦藝術市場上時間點相呼應，這無疑是幸運的。從 1950 年代中期到 1960 年代後期，他收集了 1,000 多件藏品，涵蓋了中國藝術的每一個門類。吳博士之所以收藏，其原因主要是爲保護散落歐洲各地的中國文物與推廣中國藝術與文化。尚不清楚吳博士何時想到創建一個美術館來歸置他的收藏的，但在 1968 年，他打開了以他父親的名字命名的吳蓮伯美術館的大門。多年來，美術館已成為收藏家、學者和來訪政要的必經之地，而吳博士總是很樂意給參觀者介紹美術館，講述中國光輝歷史的故事。
品相：一些舊磨損和燒製不規則現象，例如黑點、內部有釉泡、燒製裂紋和些微點蝕。邊緣有缺損和相應的修補、沖線。釉面總體細膩有光澤。請參考部門在強藍光下拍攝的視頻，確認整體狀況良好。

重量：752.8 克
尺寸：直徑 20.9 厘米

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約蘇富比，2019年9月11日，lot 635
價格：USD 40,000（相當於今日EUR 44,000）
描述：雍正款及年代霽紅釉高足碗

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2013年3月22日，lot 1554
價格：USD 30,000（相當於今日EUR 36,000）
描述：雍正款及年代霽紅釉高足碗，釉下青花六字款識

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2021年5月28日，lot 2991
價格：HKD 500,000（相當於今日EUR 62,000）
描述：雍正款及年代霽紅釉高足碗，釉下青花六字款識