A RARE CHINESE FLAMBE GLAZED ‘THREE RAMS’ VASE

A RARE CHINESE FLAMBE GLAZED ‘THREE RAMS’ VASE, SANXIZUN
SIX CHARACTER QIANLONG SEAL MARK AND OF THE PERIOD 1736-95

The globular body with a tall waisted neck and a slightly flaring foot decorated to the shoulder with three moulded rams’ heads, covered overall with a lustrous purple glaze with pale lavender-blue streaks, the base with the mark incised beneath a mottled grey-brown glaze, 34cm.

Vases of this form were introduced in the Yongzheng period and are also decorated in tea-dust, Ru and guan-type glazes. See the Illustrated Catalogue of Ch’ing Dynasty Porcelain in the National Palace Museum, K’ang-hsi Ware and Yung-Cheng Ware, Pl.129, for two Ru-type examples. See also Sotheby’s, Hong Kong, 11th July 2020, lot 116 for a fine tea-dust example from the collection of Sen Shou Tey.

The ram in China is a traditional emblem of good luck, as the Chinese term for ram, ‘yang’, is a homophone of ‘yang’, sun. It represents the male or positive principle in the yin-yang duality. The Chinese character for ram is also used as a variant of a similar character pronounced xiang, which means happiness. Three rams, san yang, are considered a particularly auspicious symbol invoking the expression san yang kai tai, the awakening of nature in spring, which signifies good luck and happiness.

清乾隆 窰變釉三犧尊
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