Pair of Early 20th Century Chinese Cabbage Vases

Resplendent with lush florals and brilliant color, this pair of porcelain vases combines stencil work with hand-painted foliage in a decorative style popular during the first two decades of the 20th century. The stenciled petals and blooms of the peonies, symbols of love and affection, create a graphic pattern of soft, modulated color, while the painted stems and small flowers punctuate the design with sharp detail. Innovative in decoration, the vases are firmly rooted in China’s time-honored ceramic tradition with their Classic fantail contours and butterfly handles.

During the 18th century, Europeans provided an eager market for Chinese export porcelain, especially the colorful and fanciful ware known as “famille rose.” Named for a palette of opaque overglaze enamels that favored roses and pinks, famille rose porcelain ware was crafted with the same technical virtuosity as imperial porcelain but designed for Western tastes. These rouleau-shaped vases date to the early 20th century and beautifully showcase the intricate decoration characteristic of famille rose ware. Also known as bangchuping (纹棒槌瓶), or 'grain mallet vase', rouleau vases...

A parade of Qilin, Chinese mythical creatures symbolizing magnificence, joy, and benevolence, march around these hand-painted contemporary porcelain fantail vases. These particular f...

Unusual for the petite size, this pair of vases is a beautiful example of famille rose enamelware, also known as fencai ware, meaning "powdery color." Manufactured in the Qing court’s imperial workshops, this technique of overglazing porcelain with enamel gets its name from the white, opaque enamels used to create color gradients and a soft, pastel effect. Each vase depicts a meeting of Shoulao, the God of Longevity...