Cloisonné enamel vases with a bulbous lower body and distinctive garlic-head mouth are exceptionally rare. This refined form is closely associated with the finest Imperial works of art produced during the Qianlong reign, reflecting the technical sophistication and aesthetic ambition of the court workshops.

The silhouette finds parallels in other high-quality Imperial pieces of the period, particularly in its balanced proportions and sculptural presence. Comparable examples of cloisonné enamel double-gourd vases from the Qianlong era are known, highlighting both the rarity of the form and its strong association with elite production at the Qing court.

Each vase is of elegant form, one is attractively enamelled on either side with luxuriant peony blooms in shades of pink, yellow and purple, emerging from leafy branches rendered with fine detail.

The companion vase is decorated with auspicious birds perched among flowering wisteria and magnolia branches, all set against a turquoise ground patterned with Keyfret motifs. The body rises to a slender neck encircled by a gilt band, terminating in a bulbous mouth, and is flanked by a pair of Ruyi-shaped handles. The base is finely gilded and bears a six-character mark of the Qianlong reign, consistent with the period.

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Auction Details

Wednesday 20 & Thursday 21 May, 2026
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

Bidding is available in person at our salerooms, online, by telephone or you can leave commission (absentee) bids.

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