A FINE AND RARE SMALL CHINESE GREEN GLAZED GU-SHAPED VASE

SIX CHARACTER KANGXI MARK AND OF THE PERIOD 1662-1722

Rising from a spread foot to a tall flaring neck, the central section flanked by two applied animal masks suspending rings from their mouths, with a vibrant green glaze decorating the body, the rim left white, with the reign mark incised to the base, 18cm.

Provenance: formerly the collection of Karl Wilhelm Gerdhem (1868-1932). Karl Wilhelm Gerdhem was a Swedish engineer known for his pioneering work in expanding the worldwide telephone network. He joined the Swedish telephone company SAT in 1892 and was eventually appointed as the company's chief network engineer. Gerdhem's work took him to many countries, including Russia, Mexico, Argentina and China. He was sent to Beijing in 1915 to negotiate a contract for operating and supplying materials to the telephone network in Guangzhou; the negotiations, however, were unsuccessful. During his time there, Gerdhem acquired a collection of Chinese porcelain, which he brought back with him on his return to Sweden.

Cf. Marchant, 90th Anniversary Exhibition of Qing Porcelain from Private Collections, pp.45-47, nos.22-23 for two Kangxi blue and white items also from the collection of Karl Wilhelm Gerdhem.