Early 20th C. Canton Enamel Peaches and Blossom Four Piece Tobacciana Set | Chinese, 1900s - 30s

This exquisitely intricate piece is a work of Famille Rose, Fencai '粉彩' design. Famille Rose was first introduced into Western classification in the 18th century and actually referred to Chinese porcelain decorated with the presence of pink enamel. There were multiple sub-categories of Famille Rose by colour palette and pattern, this particular piece is of the Fencai [tr. 'powdery colours' or 'pale colours'].

The design of this piece is a handpainted and delicate pattern of sophisticated detail comprising of stylised Peonies surrounded by accents of abstract Ruyi clouds. The pattern colour palette is of Soft pinks, turquoise, Azure blue and Jade greens; all of which rests upon a base of vibrant Sunbeam yellow. The combination of these colours mimics the colour palette that once would have been reserved for Imperial use only. The piece is finished with binding accents of brass and a fully functioning hinge.

This fantastic work of art makes an excellent decorative as well as collectable art feature.

CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks or repairs to the porcelain. There is mild and negligible use wear on the interior and the exterior glaze, as well as light oxidation to the brass binding. The hinge that is commensurate with the age of the piece. Please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 2.4" / 6 cm tall by c. 4.6" / 11.6 cm length by 3.5" / 8.8 cm width (across widest point). Unpackaged weight: c. 0.5 kg / 500 g

NOTES
Porcelain box will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

A BIT OF HISTORY
Famille rose (French for "pink family") is a type of Chinese porcelain first introduced in the 18th century and defined by the presence of pink colour overglaze enamel. It is a Western classification for Qing dynasty porcelain known in Chinese by various terms: fencai, ruancai, yangcai, and falangcai. The colour palette was introduced in China during the reign of Kangxi (1654–1722) by but perfected only in the Yongzheng era when the finest pieces were made.

Falangcai (珐琅彩, 'enamel colours') refers to overglaze enamel porcelain produced at the workshops within the Forbidden City in Beijing. The word falang meaning "enamel" may have come from the word for the "Franks" or "France". Falangcai originated as an attempt to apply the enamel colours used in metal wares such as Cloisonné onto porcelain. Falangcai pieces were produced at the palace workshops using glazed white porcelain from Jingdezhen, which were then painted with enamels and fired at a relatively low temperature in kilns. As these wares were produced in small workshops at the Imperial Palace and intended only for exclusive use, they are much rarer than other types of famille rose porcelain. The term falangcai, however, may apply to other enamel colours and need not refer exclusively to famille rose.

Yangcai (洋彩 'foreign colours') is a type of porcelain produced at the Imperial kilns in Jingdezhen. According to Tang Ying who supervised the production of porcelain at the Imperial kilns in Jingdezhen, it was initially created in imitation of falangcai.

Fencai (粉彩 'powdery colours' or 'pale colours') references pastel shades and is the term commonly used in Chinese to describe famille rose porcelain. Fencai is the more modern term used by Chen Liu (陈浏) in the early 20th century and it is often used in place of yangcai in Chinese.

Ruancai (軟彩 / 软彩 'soft colours') is a term from the Yongzheng era as the colours used are softer in contrast to the 'hard colours' (硬彩, yingcai) used to refer to famille verte or wucai.

THE ITEM
This pair of graceful art glass vases are of Sixties Chinese design from the Snowflake series by glassworks Dalian Glass of the Crystal Coast in China.

These vases are often sold as Murano as they clearly bear design influences of mid-century modern Italian glass and hence, the common misattributions. The fluted-rim bottle forms are moulded from white glass before the multicoloured, ethereal smoke-like swirls and vivid red rim is applied. The vases are finished with a final deep Amber Sommerso casing which gives the vases the yellow colour.

CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks or repairs. There is very mild use-wear present on the interior of the vases and is commensurable with the age of the pieces. Please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 6.1" / 15.5 cm and diameter: c. 3.7" / 9.5 cm (across widest point). Base diameter: c. 2.8" / 7 cm. Rim diameter: c. 3" / 7.6 cm. Unpackaged weight [Pair]: 0.7 kg / 676 g

NOTES
Vases will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

THE ITEM
This pair of delicately decorated work is Chinese Cloisonne enamelware, a technique that is understood to have been introduced during the 18th century.

Cloisonne or 'Cloisonné' are metalwork objects with decoration that is applied by creating separating sections using wire or thin metal. The sections are filled with different coloured enamels to create a visual image or pattern and the whole piece be fired multiple times to realise the colours.

The bodies for both pieces are made of brass with a counter (base) enamel of the traditional Azure blue. The decor is a rich cascade of stylised gold clouds pattern that is trimmed with the Ruyie (upside down cloverleaf with a dot) border at the rim and 'shoulders' of the vases. The central feature for one vase is a stem of red Cherry blossom and for the other vase, a stem of pink and red Peony.

CONDITION
Very Good. No dents or repairs. There is mild wear to the enamel on the back of one vase (Peony) that is commensurable with the age of the piece. Please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report. 

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 4.1" / 10.5 cm tall x c. 2.3" / 5.8 cm diameter (across widest point). Base diameter: c. 1.6" / 4 cm. Rim diameter: c. 1.4" / 3.7 cm. Unpackaged weight [Pair]: 0.3 kg / 254 g

NOTES
Vases will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured.
Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

THE ITEM
This superb work of design and craftsmanship, created during the Western Art Deco period, carries its own special piece of cultural significance and history.

It is common to find the underside of Chinese vases to be stamped, painted or etched with the era during which the piece was made. However, it is highly unusual to encounter a piece that references the early period of when China became a republic. The underside of this piece references the era of Lin Sen 林森 (b.1868 – d.1943) who was the President of the National Government of the Republic of China.

Beyond the period of when this piece was made, the form of is also very rare as the faceted shape features 14 sides (including the top and bottom) that are composed of triangular as well as diamond-shaped panels.

The exterior decor has been beautifully engraved by hand to create the stylised relief with the symbols of command of dragons, phoenixes and 'clouds' representing divinity. Together, the form and carefully detailed decor coalesce into this historically significant and highly decorative work of art.

CONDITION
Superb. There is negligible age wear to the exterior and use wear to the interior that is commensurable with the age of the piece, please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report. The underside of the vase is carved with the phrase that translates to 'Zheng Lin Sen Era Made'.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 5.1" / 13 cm tall (from base to rim) x 5.5" / 14 cm in diameter (across widest point). Base diameter: c. 2.6" / 6.5 cm. Rim diameter: c. 3" / 7.8 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 0.9 kg / 853 gm.

NOTES
Vase will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

A BIT OF HISTORY
Lin Sen (b.1868 - d.1943) was native to Fenggang Village, in the Fujian County (now Minhou County, Fuzhou ). Lin Sen lived in Fuzhou but was later expelled for his anti-Qing dynasty efforts, he later participated in the struggle against ceding Taiwan and joined the Xingzhong Society. When the Chinese Alliance was formed, he would join the movement. During the 1911 Revolution, he led the Jiujiang Uprising and urged the navy to send troops to assist in stabilising the overall situation of the revolution. He would go on to be elected as the chairman of the founding Senate of the Republic of China, joining the Chinese Revolutionary Party in Tokyo in 1914 .

In 1928, Lin Sen was elected as a member of the National Government, and later that year, he was elected as the Deputy President of the Legislative Yuan. Eventually, he became the President of the National Government in 1932.

He would continue in his role as President until his death in a car accident in 1943.

THE ITEM
This charming handmade piece is a beautiful example of vintage upcycling.

Significant popularity of porcelain shard trinket boxes during the 20th-century comes from the turbulent period of the Chinese Revolution (1966 - 1976) where there was a cultural shunning of excess and rejection of old customs. Keeping antique or fine porcelain at home was considered illegal and many collectors would destroy and throw away their pieces.

However, there were those who felt the distress from the cultural destruction and sought to salvage the broken porcelain at the end of the period. The salvagers wanted to bring new life to the collected shards and one new lease of life was transforming the shards into these trinket boxes.

The porcelain shard of this particular piece bears a stylised cloud pattern that is embedded into the silver-plated alloy. The body of the box is decorated with rings of dots and stylised plum-blossoms.

CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks, dents or repairs. There is mild wear to the silver-plating, particularly on the underside of the base, which is commensurate with the age of the piece. Please refer to the photos as they form part of the condition report.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 1.2" / 3 cm and c. 1.5" / 3.8 cm width (across bodys widest point) x c. 1.6" / 4 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 920 g / 0.9 kg.

NOTES
Trinket box will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured.
Shipping will be combined for multiple items.