A Chinese flambé hu vase, xuantong mark and of the period, with a wide body tapering towards the quatrefoil mouth rim, the neck flanked with lug handles, covered overall with an unctuous glaze of dark red tone streaked with dark mauve, thinning to white at the rim, lobed edges and handles, the base unglazed and incised with the six-character xuantong mark, 30cm high, with carved hardwood stand?Provenance:Gifted from the court of Emperor Xuantong (Puyi) in 1923 to Joseph B. Carson (died 1949) Tatiana Carson (née Staheyeff, died 1981) Peter Thomas Staheyeff Carson (1938-2013)by family descent ?Sold with an accompanying original letter, dated 27th June and the original envelope, addressed to Mr Joseph B. Carson, from the Imperial Ministry of the Household at the Forbidden City. The letter thanks Mr Carson, then secretary to H.B.M, Legation, Peking, for his assistance in fighting the fire at the Jianfu Palace Garden complex in the Forbidden City on the 27th June [1923]. At the time Mr and Mrs J Carson, recently married, were dancing at a party on the roof of the Grand Hotel when they saw a red glare light up the night sky to the north. The Carson's and Irene Staheyeff (Tatiana Carson's sister) hurried to the eastern gate of the palace and when access was eventually granted at about 2.50am were swept along with the fire engines into the Forbidden Palace. The fire raged and the Jianfu Palace garden complex was destroyed, and the area lay as rubble until a major restoration project was completed in 2005. In addition to his special thanks, the Emperor commanded that Mr Carson be presented with four porcelain vases and four bowls, detailed in an accompanying hand written list, of which this vase forms one of the original four vases described. Also, with various Republican period business cards; an invitation from the President of the Republic of China dated May 2nd and an ink inscribed printed fan signed, 'Henry, To Mrs Carson in recognition of her help at the Palace fire on June 26-7, 1923.' It is believed Mr and Mrs Carson knew Puyi as 'Henry', the name the Emperor chose as his given name, and he was known as Henry Puyi in the West.For a more detailed account of the fire, including a photograph of Tatiana Staheyeff (later Carson) and Lucy Alston in Peking, circa 1921-1922, see May Holdsworth, The Palace of Established Happiness: Restoring a Garden in the Forbidden City, 2008, pages 24-25.清宣统 "大清宣统年制"款窑变釉双耳壶（附内务府信函及溥仪签名折扇）拍品来源：英国驻民国二等参赞高尔森家族旧藏。1923年6月27日，高尔森先生及夫人于建福宫大火事件时于紫禁城附近参加一个聚会，发现紫禁城着火后便参与灭火，溥仪着内务府于火灾后作为谢礼，赠送高尔森家族四件瓷瓶及瓷盘（附内务府手书信函及清单），该瓷瓶便为当时的一件。Condition Report: Shallow chips to the foot rim, otherwise in very good conditionfine hair crack to one handle 2 cm long Condition Report Disclaimer