QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

The decoration, shape and size of this vase derive from the famille rose porcelain 'hundred deer' vases of Qianlong date. These porcelain prototypes are in various collections including one in the Beijing Palace Museum, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - 39 - Porcelains with Cloisonne Enamel Decoration and Famille Rose Decoration, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 85; a pair in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Selected Ceramics from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Hu, Shanghai, 1989, pl. 67; one in the Nanjing Museum, included in the joint exhibition with The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Qing Imperial Porcelain, 1995, no. 86; and another from the Grandidier Collection in the Musée Guimet, Paris, illustrated in Oriental Ceramics: The World's Great Collections, Tokyo, 1981, vol. 7, pl. 190.
A cloisonné enamel hu-shaped vase decorated with deer as well as cranes in a landscape setting, but minus the dragon scroll handles, was sold in these rooms, 29 March 2006, lot 309. Deer and cranes in a landscape can also be found on the exterior of a large fish bowl illustrated by H. Brinker and A. Lutz, Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, The Asia Society Galleries, New York, 1989, no. 322, as well as on a censer and cover illustrated ibid., no. 323. See, also, the pair of large baluster vases, with very similar design and cast Qianlong marks sold in our Hong Kong Rooms, 30 April 2001, lot 779.