China, 1796-1820. Finely modeled as a flattened conch, with stepped layers depicting the concentric cone shape, the exterior textured with raised dots under a pale turquoise-green glaze, the opening of the shell formed as the sunken well, further painted in penciled iron-red lines with swirls. The rim finely gilt. The reverse with an underglaze-blue six-character seal mark da Qing Jiaqing nianzhi and early in the period, c. 1796-1798.

Provenance: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 25 April 2004, lot 59, sold for HKD 480,000 or approx. EUR 45,000 (this amount is for one of originally two pieces, converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). A private collector in the United States, acquired from the above, and thence by descent.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, mostly to gilt. A microscopic nick with a 2 mm hairline to the edge, almost invisible to the naked eye.

Weight: 84 g
Dimensions: Length 8.8 cm

With a padded box. (2)

Expert’s note: Although dated Jiaqing period, the style of imitating living objects, as exemplified by the current lot, is typical of the late Qianlong period. While the Qianlong Emperor abdicated in 1795, when he assumed the title of the Emperor Emeritus, the works of art produced during the early Jiaqing period retain many stylistic qualities of the Qianlong period. It is commonly agreed that this period of transition lasts between 1796-1798.

Literature comparison:
Compare three Qianlong washers imitating shells illustrated in Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong. Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989, pl. 86, and other related examples illustrated in Geng Baochang, Ming Qing ciqi jianding, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 468.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 24 March 2011, lot 1750
Price: USD 11,875 or approx. EUR 15,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare small blue-enameled shell-form ink palette, Qianlong four-character seal mark in iron red and of the period
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form with similar raised bosses. Note the size (7.6 cm) and Qianlong reign mark.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s London, 15 May 2012, lot 317
Price: GBP 12,500 or approx. EUR 19,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A small underglaze blue, iron-red and gilt decorated ‘shell-form’ brush washer, xi, Jiaqing underglaze blue six-character seal mark and of the period
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, gilt rim, and underglaze-blue Jiaqing seal mark. Note the closely related size (8.9 cm).



嘉慶款及年代粉彩海螺水墨調色盤
中國，1796-1820年。扁平海螺形，層層疊疊呈同心圓錐形，外施淡青綠色釉下點綴凸點，殼口微凹，再以礬紅釉細描繪，邊緣精美鎏金。盤底青花“大清嘉慶年製”六字款，約爲1796-1798年間。

來源：香港蘇富比，2004年4月25日，售價HKD 480,000 或 EUR 45,000 (這個價格為原來兩件中的一件，根據通貨膨脹率)；美國私人收藏。，購於上述拍賣，保存至今。
品相：狀況極好，輕微磨損，主要是鎏金部分。邊緣有2毫米細微刻痕，肉眼幾乎看不見。

重量：84 克
尺寸：長8.8 厘米

配置帶襯墊的盒子 (2)

專家注釋：雖為嘉慶時期，但本拍品的風格，頗具乾隆晚期之典型。雖然乾隆皇帝於1795年退位，為太上皇，但嘉慶初期的藝術作品仍保留了許多乾隆時期的風格特徵。這一過渡期持續在 1796 年至 1798 年之間。

文獻比較：
比較三件乾隆貝殼水洗，見《故宮珍藏康雍乾瓷器圖錄》，香港，1989年，圖86，以及相近的例子，見耿寶昌，《明清瓷器鑑定》，香港，1993年，圖468。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2011年3月24日，lot 1750
價格：USD 11,875（相當於今日EUR 15,000）
描述：乾隆四字款藍釉海螺水墨調色盤
專家評論：比較非常相近的外形。請注意尺寸 (7.6 厘米) 和乾隆款。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦佳士得，2012年5月15日，lot 317
價格：GBP 12,500（相當於今日EUR 19,000）
描述：青花描金礬紅彩海螺形洗，六字篆書款
專家評論：比較非常相近的外形，鎏金邊緣，以及藍色琺瑯嘉慶款。請注意非常相近的尺寸(8.9 厘米)。

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