A Rare Pair of Chinese Export Blue and White Tulip Vases, Qing Dynasty, Kangxi Period, Circa 1700 | 清康熙 約1700年 青花人物故事圖花卉紋鬱金香瓶一對

Stair & Co., New York, 27 December 1983

While the form of the present examples is a direct reference to Dutch Delft originals, replicating their multiple spouts and widely known to house individual floral sprigs intended for impressive displays. However, tiered and multi-spouted vessels were also made by the Northern kilns China as early as the Five Dynasties to the Northern Song Dynasty (10th - 13th century CE). The purpose of these examples have been widely debated, with scholarship indicating that these vessels were made for spiritual and funerary purposes. According to Yuh-Shiow Chen, in 'Yujinxiang · guanping [Tulips · Spouted Jars]', The National Palace Museum Monthly of Chinese Art, February 2018, no. 419, pp 64-75, spouted vessels were also made at various sites in present day Iran at the same time as the Chinese examples. Tulips were cultivated Central Asia since the 10th century CE, and the multi-spouted form was also likely brought to Europe as part of the impressive display seen by European diplomats during their visits to the Ottoman Empire by the 16th century.

A nearly identical example is in the collection of the Groninger Museum, and illustrated in D. F. Lungsingh Scheurleer, Chinese Export Porcelain, cat. no. 108. Delft maker Adriaen Kocx (or Adrianus Kocx) was known to have likely created the form. Another pair, formerly in the collection of celebrated designer Mario Buatta, sold in these rooms, January 24th, 2020, lot 473. Another pair of examples was with Cohen & Cohen, London, reference no. 6172. A total of six examples, formerly in the collection of Aso O. Tavitian, sold in these rooms, February 9th, 2025, lots 1495 and 1496.