13th May, 2026 10:00

Chinese Art 中國藝術
 
  Lot 7
 

A fine Chinese blue and white 'Sea house Addition' shallow bowl, Qing dynasty, Kangxi mark and of the period
清康熙 青花海屋添籌圖淺盤 《大清康熙年製》款

Well-potted with curved sides rising from a straight foot to an everted rim, the interior painted with a figural scene depicting three scholars stood on a rocky ledge over cresting waves, two of them holding sticks, a spotted deer sat nearby as an attendant brings out food, across the water is an isolated pavilion with a bitong containing several more sticks, overhead a lone crane with a stick in its beak flies down to deposit it, the exterior with landscape vignettes, inscribed to the base with a six-character Kangxi mark within a double circle

(Quantity:1)

Dimensions: 17cm diameter

Provenance:

From a private collection formed in the 1940-50s, thence by descent

來源:
英國私人收藏(成型於 1940-1950 年代),並由家族繼承
Notes:

See a comparable dish decorated with the same scene offered at Christie's London, 10 May 2011; and another related dish with a different scene but of similar size, offered at Sotheby's New York, 19 March 2024, lot 354.

The expression hai wu tian shou, which translates as 'may the ancient house for storing changes bring the longevity', is an auspicious birthday message wishing the recipient a long and happy life. The legend of the Sea House Addition, alluded to on this dish, tells the story of a group of immortals who are discussing their ages. One of the immortals states 'Every time the sea dries up and becomes a land of mulberry fields, I place one chip in my house as a record. And I place another one when the land of mulberry fields changes back to become the sea. Now my house is full of chips. How old do you think I am?' These chips are markers used for keeping count, made of wood or bamboo, and the word chip (chou) is a homophone for the word meaning longevity (shou), therefore instilling the meaning of adding age or longevity.

The pavilion depicted in the central reserve houses a pot containing five of these chips, with a crane flying overhead carrying a sixth in its beak. The addition of this regal bird deepens the longevity imagery, as the crane is a symbol of longevity because it lives a long life and its white feathers stand for old age. The word for crane (he) is also a homophone for peace and harmony.

參見倫敦佳士得於2011年5月10日拍賣的一件飾有相同紋飾的類似器物;以及蘇富比紐約於2024年3月19日,拍品編號為354,飾有不同紋飾但尺寸相近的類似器物。

此器物裝飾取材自著名典故「海屋添籌」,寓意長壽與福壽綿長,常見於祝壽賀禮。該典故源於蘇軾《東坡志林》,描述幾位仙人聚會談論年紀。其中一位仙人說道:「吾見東海三次變為桑田。每經滄海之變,吾輒置籌於屋。今屋中籌已滿。」此處「籌」與「壽」音近,因此「海屋添籌」便轉化為祝願長者添壽的吉語。

盤心亭台內繪有一瓶,瓶中插有五根籌碼,意指已累積五籌。盤中上方繪有仙鶴銜籌飛臨,象徵再添一籌。仙鶴本身即為長壽的象徵,不僅因其壽命綿長、羽色如雪象徵耄耋之年,且「鶴」與「和」諧音,亦兼具和平與和諧之意。

Estimate
£4,000 - £6,000
Current bid
£4,000
(2bids)
 

Buyer's premium: 26.00% plus VAT

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