Description
An antique Chinese porcelain Famille Noire vase.
The body of square tapering form with ‘trumpet’ shaped rim. Panels finely decorated overall with pavilions, rockwork, foliage, trees, mounted mandarins on horseback and elegant courtly male and female figures all in richly coloured enamels on a Famille Noire ground. The characters on buffaloes and the water vistas are unusual.
Qing Dynasty period 1644-1912.
Old and very minor chips to the rim.
The unmarked base with a square recess.
Ref: Lady Lever Art Gallery Collection has a large number of Famille Noire examples. See LL6724.
A Famille Noire vase, similar to the one for sale here, was sold to John D. Rockefeller in 1919 for the extraordinary price of £12,000. Famille Noire was sometimes referred to as “Millionaire’s Taste”, and was highly sought after in the late 19th century.
Impey Oliver, “Lever as a collector of Chinese Porcelain”, in Morris, Edward (ed.), “Art and Business in Edwardian England: The Making of The Lady Lever Art Gallery”, Journal of the History of Collections, Vol.4, Nr. 2, 1992, pp. 235-236 in particular for the discussion on Famille Noire wares.
