THE EXCEPTIONAL SALE 2013 - Christie's

William Beckford’s ‘sacred peach’ vases in rare ‘clair-de-lune’ porcelain
and sculpted in relief with a sacred peach, are mounted with superbly
modelled and beautifully chased mounts that can be attributed to Jean-
Claude Chambellan Duplessis (d.1774), one of the most significant
bronziers of the second half of the 18 th century (estimate: £400,000 –
600,000, illustrated right). These sumptuously mounted vases in the late
rococo style of circa 1760 represent a reaction to the fanciful asymmetry
of early rococo, the Goût Pitoresque of the 1730s and 1740s. The vases,
which are part of a very small group of similar vases, display the sacred
peach, often used in Chinese art to symbolize immortality.
CLOCKS
Clocks in The Exceptional Sale include a Chinese paste-gem set ormolu and white marble ‘double
gourd’ clock with swinging dial from the Guangzhou workshops, dating to the Qianlong period
late 18 th century, which is one of only three recorded examples (estimate: £400,000 – 600,000,
illustrated left). Both of the other two examples have been sold by Christie’s. The clock displays
powerful symbolism: the double-gourd design is a potent symbol of fertility and good
fortune; the inverted bat (pien-fu) signifies ‘blessings have arrived’; the character medallion a
sign of ‘Longevity’; the Phoenix heads (feng or fenghuang) an emblem of the Empress and one
of the four Guardians of the Universe.
Further highlights include a musical table clock by James Cox (1723 - 1800),
created in circa 1766, which was previously in the collection of King Farouk I
(estimate: £450,000 – 650,000, illustrated right). Cox operated as a jeweller and
goldsmith from his London premises at Shoe Lane, off Fleet Street. The principal
component parts of the present clock appear throughout his oeuvre. Cox’s clock cases and
necessaires comprise characteristic elements: boldly cast Rococo mounts, a variety of
animals including lizards, elephants and lions to the feet and vase finials combined
throughout with ‘caged’ specimen panels of polished agate. Christie’s has a long
association with Cox, having sold his clocks from as early as 1772.
PORTRAIT MINIATURES & OBJECTS OF VERTU
An enamel plaque by Henry Bone, R.A. (1755 – 1834), the ‘Prince of
Enamellers’, depicting Bacchus and Ariadne, is the artist’s largest and
greatest work (estimate: £80,000 – 120,000, illustrated left). Henry
Bone’s success as an enamellist was cemented when he was officially
appointed Enamel Painter to the Prince of Wales, later Prince Regent,
and to George III. Bacchus and Ariadne was purchased by George
Bowles, an enthusiastic collector of Bone’s work, from the artist for
2,200 guineas in 1811. George Bowles and the Prince of Wales shared
the same taste for Bone’s work and they both owned copies of his
enamel after Cantarini’s Holy Family with an Angel. The vast gilt-wood
frame accompanying the ‘Bacchus and Ariadne’, elaborately carved
with anthemion and scroll motifs and lion’s masks within wreaths, is reminiscent of the Carlton House taste
that the Prince of Wales enjoyed.