A large pair of Chinese porcelain moon flasks, 19th century ...

Hammer

£4,000

A large pair of Chinese porcelain moon flasks, 19th century (Xianfeng / Tongzhi), each centrally decorated in famille rose with a circular panel depicting pheasants perched on rocky outcrops amongst peony sprays beneath magnolia branches, against a white ground, all encompassed against a vivid orange body elaborately decorated with formal foliate scrolls and sprays, the shoulders mounted with gilt highlighted chilong lugs, unmarked to the underside, each 49cm high (2) (at fault)

More Information

Moon flask 1 - Loss to head of one chilong lug handle. Varied localised areas of enamel decoration have flaked off from the surface of the body, more so to the green colourway - see images for clarification. White ground of circular panels surface stained and grubby however this does rub off, pitting can also be seen. Some glaze pooling to areas. General further surface staining and grubbiness. Foot rim not glazed. Small firing crack to the underside. Minor pitting and fritting to the interior of the neck and body. Small firing crack to inside of neck. Interior of vase grubby. Some bleeding to the decoration in areas especially around the rim of the neck and borders of the central circular panels. Generally dirty and would benefit from a professional clean. Moon flask 2 -
In comparatively similar condition to its pair. Firing crack to the handle and body join to the chilong. Enamel flaking is less apparent to this example but more obvious to the blue colourway. Glaze chip to the underside. No signs of restoration to either example. It is our opinion that these date to the second half of the 19th century.