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Hello all:
Last night I watched an eBay auction from Joanies House of Treasures. Prior to the auction I had noticed a rather attractive Cong vase with lustrous blue enamel (see photographs below) among the items up for auction. Joanies described it as a DAOGUANG BLUE ENAMEL PORCELAIN ELEPHANT HANDLE CONG VASE. The vase measures 11 3/8 inches tall by 7 inches long including the handles, and 5 inches square and apparently originated from an old estate. The stand was included. Although I found the vase attractive, I was staggered by the final auction price of US $9,299.00. There were 57 bidders.
I was interested just for educational purposes in what forum members think about this vase. Do you think it is of mark and period and is it worth the price paid? My own guess ahead of the auction was that it would sell for about $1,800 and that it was probably late 19th. C. I have a Cong trigram vase in apple or possibly sea green (see photographs) of almost the same dimensions with a stand that I have always thought was probably of the Guangxu period. The vase had previously been drilled for conversion into a lamp. I recall that I paid about $900 for it at an eBay auction several years ago.
Anyway, I'd be very interested in what forum members think about this vase.
Regards,
Errol
The green cong is probably late 19th to early 20th century. I feel comfortable with that estimate given how the Yongzheng (obviously later) mark is written. I've seen some similar examples with "CHINA" inscribe into them. The wide footrim is a nice thing to see.
The cobalt blue "Daoguang" cong is 21st century. It's suspect to begin with given that these are usually seen from different reigns. The glaze shouldn't thin to white at the corners. Foot and mark are highly suspect.
A provenance story is just that. Perhaps it is true, but when considering spending any amount like this you should really see paperwork - verifiable through either contact info or historical records, OR you should have a high degree of confidence based on first-hand experience. If you ever want to resell - someone will ask you for this paperwork also.
It is what it is!
This is just my opinion, but I am always suspicious of vases that have that look of being thickly coated in glaze, as with this and the other vase you posted. Things like the handles get a rounded look to their edges, they lose definition which I feel they should have. The kind of definition you can see on your lovely vase.
I'm relieved to hear that you think that my green Cong vase is probably Guangxu or at the latest Republican. Certainly, if one compares the foot on my green Cong vase with the foot of the blue vase, the blue vase has a rather newish looking foot. Although I don't much care for drilled feet on vases, is some ways drilling is reassuring because it suggests an early 20th century origin when many of these vases were drilled to make lamps.
Also, while I'm no expert on marks, the mark on the foot of the blue vase looks very amateurishly executed and rather vague.
I never had any intention to bid on the blue vase. Certainly, I have never paid that amount of money on any Chinese item and wouldn't dream of doing so in the case of a vase with rather dubious provenance and features that suggest a more recent origin than that stated.
Errol
Hi Julia: I'm really glad you like my green Cong vase. I've had it sitting for years on a small table in my study. My back was always towards it when I worked at my desk so I rarely ever "saw" it. Recently, I decided to move it into the living room. It now sits on a Qing-style table against the pale pink wall plaster and it looks really lovely and it's a joy to see it every day. It's amazing that an item made with slab construction can be so attractive. There is something really nice too about the trigram pattern on some Cong vases.
Regards,
Errol
I don't think the vase sold by Joanies is modern. It is nearly identiacal to a Daoguang vase sold at Christie's. Size, foot ring, mouth and handles matches perfectly. Glaze is also thinning to white at the corners. For while I thought it was the same vase but the marks doesn't seem to match. https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-a-blue-glazed-cong-shaped-vase-daoguang-six-character-seal-6285237/
@erroll I would say that fixed cracks, iron staples, and drill holes are not a sign of any age. Many of the newly formed Chinese auction houses on liveauctioneers which offer only reproductions have included these "signs of age" along with "collection stickers" into the aging process of pieces.
It is what it is!
Hello:
Yes, I know that too. However, some of these things require more trouble for mass producers of fake items. So, they can be taken into consideration along with multiple other factors when one assesses an item.
Errol
@avatar If you want to choose that she is selling $36,000 items for $9,000 with a $9.99 starting bid at really no reserve - that's ok. But it's very easy to email an auction house and get an estimate for consignment.
I would also draw your attention to the foot. Christie's vase has a straight tall foot. Joanie's vase has a small foot that tapers inwards from the corners. The glaze is much thicker at Christie's, and Joanie's vase has slight pooling of the glaze at the bottom corners. Christie's vase's mark is much more defined. Sometimes the differences will be small, but they are there.
It is what it is!
Yes, thank you for bringing this to our attention. The vase sold at auction by Joanies is a virtually identical Cong vase to the Christie's vase to my eyes at least. I see the Christie's vase sold for 36,250 GBP with an estimate of 4,000 - 6,000 GBP. I don't have the original listing. However, I recall that Joanies mentioned in their description of the vase that a similar vase had been sold by Christie's and that it "would be well worth checking on that." They did not provide a link, however.
As you point out, Christie's describes their vase as "A BLUE-GLAZED CONG-SHAPED VASE DAOGUANG SIX-CHARACTER SEAL MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1821-1850). The square vase is flanked by a pair of moulded elephant-head handles and is covered overall with a deep sapphire-blue glaze thinning slightly on the edges. 11 3/8 in. (29 cm.) high." The foot rims in the two vases appear similar. The Christie's vase has a more sharply defined six-character seal mark than the vase offered at the eBay auction.
Would everyone agree now that the eBay vase is Daoguang and, if so, could be considered a bargain at $9,299 USD compared with Christie's vase that had a hammer price of 36,250 GBP? Both vases are in similar condition although the Joanies vase has a few scratches.
Regards,
Errol
I had not seen your response when I posted. I would also always defer to others with a more expert eye than mine. However, I think if a group of Chinese art collectors were presented with the two vases without an identification as to the source, I would not be surprised if most would be unable to distinguish the two vases from each other. To me, the difference in the seal marks is the most significant issue. However, could that not be due to wear and tear?
As you point out though why with prior knowledge that an almost identical sapphire-blue Cong vase had been sold by Christie's at auction for 36,000 GBP would someone choose to sell the vase on eBay for $9,299 which at current exchange rates is about $40,000 lower in price? It's interesting too that Christie's had an estimate of 4,000 - 6,000 GBP which would have resulted in a sales price of about $8,000.
I'm pleased that we have had this discussion. I hope others will weigh in with additional thoughts.
Regards,
Errol
Hi Michael -
As with the tea-dust vase, I would concur with others - especially @collectingasia's - comments regarding this blue cong vase ...
I would also add that the glaze depth/tone's between the Christies vase posted by Cory and the Joanies example are markedly different - compare the base images on both pieces and note the colour, depth and surface light relection - the Joanies piece is clearly modern ...
Theoretically - if the two vases could be examined side by side - I'am sure the subtly differences between each would be seen, and when handled they would also 'feel' rather different ..
Stusrt
Hello Stuart:
I will take your word on it - you have seen and dealt with far more of these monochromes than have I. However, if the Joanies vase is a modern copy, as you suggest, then whoever made it did a really good job. Unfortunately, we will never know because an exact side-by-side comparison and an evaluation of how the two vases would feel different if handled will never be possible.
I think the sapphire-blue color is very lovely in both vases.
Regards,
Errol
Hello all:
I notice that Joanies House of Treasures (JHT) has for auction this week (See link) another blue Cong vase (see photographs of new auction vase below) almost identical to the one they sold at auction a while back for over $9,000 (see photographs in the first post of this thread). The last one they sold was described as a DAOGUANG BLUE ENAMEL PORCELAIN ELEPHANT HANDLE CONG VASE. This one has a different six-character mark and they describe it as a RARE CHINESE IMPERIAL GUANGXU MARK & PERIOD BLUE GLAZE ELEPHANT CONG VASE. There was a similar sapphire-blue Cong vase sold by Christie's at auction in 2020 for 36,250 GBP (See link) as a Daoguang vase. Some forum members thought that the JHT vase was a contemporary copy and not a Daoguang vase. I must say I am confused about all of this. Is the most recent JHT Cong vase a Guangxu copy of a Daoguang vase or is it a more modern replica?
Regards,
Errol
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