Claire-de-lune-glazed apple-form water pot, pinguo zun

Chinese, apocryphal Kangxi six-character mark , 19th Century or later

the compressed globular body deeply depressed after the wide shoulders to create an overturned channel, finely coated on both interior and exterior with a pale lavender-blue glaze slightly thickening towards the base, resting on a countersunk base inscribed with a three-column six-character mark in underglaze-blue, 10.5cm diam.

Provenance: A private English collection via a deceased Estate.

Notes: Notable for its elegant form and subtle glaze colour, the present vessel is a testament to the technical advances made at the Imperial kilns in Jingdezhen during the Qing dynasty, which saw the creation of numerous monochrome glazes. The sky-blue glaze was achieved by diminishing the amount of cobalt oxide in the glaze mix. See S.G.Valenstein, A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1989, p.241. Apple-shaped water pots were an essential part of the scholar's accoutrements as they enabled their owners to elegantly express their visions through ink. Known as Ba da ma, or "Eight Great Numbers," these wares were produced in great numbers during the Kangxi reign (AD 1662-1722). Traditionally, this group was believed to consist of eight distinct shapes. However, John Ayers suggested a potential ninth form by highlighting the existence of two slightly different globular water pots. The first is the pingguo zun, or "apple jar," like the present example. The second, possibly identified as a shiliu zun, or "pomegranate jar", features a raised, low neck resembling a stalk. See, J.Ayers, 'The 'Peachbloom Wares of the Kangxi Period (1662-1722)’, Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society, vol. 64, 1999-2000, p.49.