A RARE FLAMBÉ-GLAZED RECTANGULAR PEAR-SHAPED VASE, HU Qianlong seal mark and of the periodA RARE FLAMBE-GLAZED RECTANGULAR PEAR-SHAPED VASE, HUQianlong seal mark and of the periodThe pear-shaped vessel covered in a rich purple transmutation glaze streaked with mottled sky-blue, thinning to a light beige at the mouth rim, the edges of the square tubular handles and the moulded channels on the neck, all running down to a neatly finished footrim, the glaze with typical triangular pin-pricks, the body with moulded peach-shaped panels to each side, the base and inside footrim with an ochre glaze over the incised zhuanshu mark.30cm (11 3/4in) high. 清乾隆 窯變釉貫耳方壺 「大清乾隆年製」篆書刻款Provenance: John Sparks Ltd., LondonAn Irish private collection, acquired from the above on 5 November 1952, and thence by descent來源：倫敦古董商 John Sparks Ltd.愛爾蘭私人收藏，在1952年11月5日從上處購得，並由後人保存迄今The inspiration for the flambé glaze can be traced back to the splashed Jun wares of the Song dynasty. However this particular red glaze, derived from copper but also containing lead, was exceptionally unstable and difficult to control in the kiln, resulting in the highest failure rate of all Chinese glazes. It was not until an extraordinary technical mastery was developed during the Qing period, and the Qianlong reign in particular, that successful flambé-glazed porcelain could be produced, highlighting the exceptional quality and rarity of the present lot. The unusual shape of the hu vase, with its corners, handles and shallow boss on each side, presented additional possibilities for streaking and pooling for the craftsman to explore.A number of examples of this type of vase are in museum and private collections: one in the British Museum is illustrated by R.L.Hobson, Chinese Pottery and Porcelain, Vol.II, London, 1915, pl,.23, fig.1. A very similar vase in the Huaihaitang collection, Qianlong seal mark and period, is illustrated by P.Lam, Ethereal Elegance: Porcelain Vases of the Imperial Qing: The Huaihaitang Collection, Hong Kong, 2007, no.78, and another in the Tsui Museum of Art is illustrated by Yang Boda, The Tsui Museum of Art: Chinese Ceramics IV: Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1995, no.47.See a similar flambé-glazed rectangular pear-shaped vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, which was sold at Bonhams London, 15 May 2014, lot 41.public_sentiment_keywords: museum+dynastyis_parse: 20230413image: yuzhan_bonhams_item/51930684.jpgsold_price_type: £