Sir W. Bennett's Powdered Blue Chinese Porcelain reasons:-It has been acquired almost piece by piece in comparatively recent times ; and its possessor, regarding the general merit of a collection as dependent rather upon its quality than upon the number of specimens contained in it, has been careful to avoid including in this one any piece which can be considered to be other than fine. Hence there are in all only thirtynine specimens, thirty-three of which have panels with polychrome (famille-verte) decorations; one is a fine specimen of rouge-de-fer decoration, and the remaining five are embellished with panels in the blue and white Nankin manner. Of the polychrome pieces twenty-five are cabinet specimens varying in height from 8 to II inches. The most noteworthy of these are a pair of oviform vases and covers of great brilliancy; a pair of beakers en suite; two pairs of globular bottles of rare form, each having a long, bulbous, trumpetshaped neck separated from the body of the bottle by a broad flange; three very rare compressed pear-shaped bottles with long tapering necks; and three ewers. The remaining specimens are pear-shaped, cylindrical, and triple gourd bottles in pairs and single pieces showing different schemes of decoration. Examples of these are given in the monochrome illustrations which accompany this article. One of the finest pieces of colour, both in respect of the blue and in the decoration of the panels, is afforded by the ewer 8 inches high which is the subject of one of the coloured plates; 2 this, like the large dish depicted in the other coloured illustration, although it is not intrinsically the most valuable specimen in the collection, shows the decorative possibilities of this ware at its best. It is difficult to conceive a higher degree of decorative effect in a small Page 36.-A powdered blue ewer or coffee pot having two panels decorated in famille verte; the subjects depicted in the panels are very rare, perhaps unique, in specimens of this kind; the usual decoration is shown in Plate III, fig. 9. The gold pencillings on the blue are employed with singular taste and effect. The height of the piece is 8 inches. piece of porcelain than that obtained in this ewer; the boldness of the panel and the general dignity, if such a term is admissible in speaking of what is commonly called a coffee-pot, of the whole composition is quite remarkable and peculiarly Chinese. A comparison of this specimen with one of a similar size and form in fine blue Worcester with coloured panels, which of course owes its origin to a desire to imitate and perhaps to emulate powdered blue with polychrome decorations, will immediately show how vastly superior in effect is the Chinese piece. There is a good bowl 15 inches in diameter with fine familleverte panels outside, and, as is often the case in these bowls, having a particularly bright polychrome panel inside at the bottom. The dishes are six in number, four of FIG. 2.-The Mirror or Sacred Stone 3 Page 2 (Frontispiece).-A powdered blue dish 21 inches in diameter (one of a pair), having a petal-shaped central panel decorated in famille verte, in which are depicted many figures taking part in a ceremonial function. The dish is saucer-shaped and liberally pencilled, on the blue, with gold in rather coarse designs. These dishes are fine specimens of the middle Kang-he period. decorated with utensils and emblems-a rare thing; in the others the decoration is that which is most commonly imitated in modern forgeries-a phoenix exchanging compliments with a kylin-in very bright famille-verte colourings. A club-shaped vase 18 inches high, decorated with golden carp, is a beautiful specimen of powdered blue and rouge de fer; the colour is fine, and the decorative effect is more than usually good in consequence of the large size of the carp, of which there are only three-a very rare arrangement, as these jars almost invariably carry four fish of comparatively small size, which, unlike those depicted on the one in this collection, which are of the finest rouge de fer, incline generally to pinkness in tint, thereby entirely marring the harmony of the decoration. All the preceding specimens are decorated to some extent with gold excepting the two oviform vases, the two beakers, a pair of triple gourd bottles, and the phoenix dish. The pieces bearing marks, setting aside the "double ring" which occurs four times, are the four large dishes each of which carries the Lien-meou-tan (fruit of the pœoniamoutan) mark (Fig. 1); the two smaller dishes marked with the mirror or sacred stone (Fig 2); and the bowl which has a seal mark, not uncommon in bowls of a certain kind, the significance of which is unknown (Fig. 3). The remaining five pieces are decorated with Nankin panels; they consist of two ginger jars with covers, and three club-shaped vases 171 inches in height. In these vases the high-water mark of pure powdered blue is reached, FIG. 3.-Seal Mark. and fortunately the Nankin blue in the absolutely white panels is of such fine quality and colour that it easily holds its own in comparison with the surrounding powdered blue, thus presenting a combination of merit in this type of porcelain which is rarely seen; these vases may, in fact, be fairly regarded as unique. Taken as a whole this collection, although there are of course others which contain many more items, and although it includes no specimen of the elaborately decorated ware which was made quite at the end of the Kang-he period, may be allowed to be one which it would be difficult within its limits to surpass in quality, colour, and general excellence.+ W. H. B. ♦ PLATE III, PAge 39.—Powdered Blue witH POLYCHROME DECORATION Figs. 1 and 2. A pair of globular bottles having long trumpetshaped necks with two bulbs and a flange below; there are four panels on each decorated in famille verte; two depict the dog of Fo, the others are ornamented with blossoming plants and birds, gold pencilling; height 11 inches. Figs. 3 and 4.-A pair of oviform vases and covers with four panels in famille verte; two of these, which are leaf-shaped, are decorated with flowers, birds, etc.; the others, quadrate in form, show utensils and emblems; height 9 inches. Figs. 5 and 6.--A pair of beakers en suite with six panels having similar decorations; height 10 inches. Figs. 7 and 8.-A pair of bottles, compressed pear-shaped, with taper necks, having three panels in famille verte, one with utensils and emblems, the other with sprays of flowers and birds; height 10 inches. Fig. 9.-A ewer or coffee-pot with two panels decorated with birds and aquatic plants in famille verte, lightly pencilled with gold; height 8 inches. PLATE IV, PAGE 43.-POWDERED BLUE WITH ROUGE-DE-FER DECORATION Fig. 1.- --A cylindrical club-shaped vase decorated with three large golden carp in rouge de fer, gold pencillings on body and neck of vase; height 17 inches. POWDERED BLUE WITH POLYCHROME DECORATION Figs. 2 and 3.-A pair of triple gourd bottles, each having four panels decorated in famille verte with flowering plants, birds, etc., gold pencillings; height 9 inches. Figs. 4 and 5.--A pair of cylindrical bottles each with eight panels ornamented with sprays of flowers and growing plants in famille verte, gold pencillings; height 9 inches. PLATE V, PAGE 45.--POWDERED BLUE WITH POLYCHROME DECORATION Figs. 1 and 2.-A pair of triple gourd bottles, each decorated with six panels in famille verte; two of these panels show utensils and emblems, a very rare form of ornamentation in bottles of this shape; two have sprays of flowers, and in the remaining two small panels on the neck is depicted the dog of Fo in red; height 94 inches. Fig. 3-A pear-shaped bottle (one of three) with various panels decorated with utensils, emblems, rocks, and sprays of flowers, gold pencillings; height 8 inches. Fig. 4. Bowl with four panels in famille verte showing growing plants, birds, sprays of flowers, etc., gold pencillings; diameter 12 inches. POWDERED BLUE WITH NANKIN PANELS Figs. 5 and 6.--A pair of cylindrical club-shaped vases, each having four large panels on the body decorated with plants and rocks, utensils and emblems, and landscape with rocks and figures; on the shoulder of each vase are four small panels with landscapes; height 17 inches. The shape of these vases is particularly good. |
