A RARE AND UNUSUAL DOUCAI MOON FLASK, China, Yongzheng period, of flattened form, both sides painted with three branches of peaches, finger citrons, and lychees, between stylised lappet borders in 'doucai' colours, the tall neck with thin scroll handles on either side, painted with three dots and encircled by a bowstring band above pendent lappets, with two borders of 'ruyi' heads beneath the rim, the base unglazed, with an elaborately carved wood stand, encasing the lower part of the vase. - Formerly property from a European private collection, assembled between 1960 and 1990 - This shape is said to be based on Ming dynasty predecessors of the 15th century. Cf. with a Ming example of the same height, but with a neck and handles of slightly different shape, illustrated in Scott, Rosemary E.: "Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art: A Guide to the Collection", London, 1989, p. 73, no. 61. The author notes that this shape has its origins in Syrian glass. However, the so-called 'sanduo' decoration on the present vase is purely Chinese. Translated as "Three Abundances", it is comprised of three fruit branches: the citron (abundance of blessings), the peach (abundance of longevity), and the lychee (abundance of sons). The citron, pronounced 'foshou' in Chinese, is similar in its first character 'fo' to 'fu', meaning 'blessings', peaches are symbols of longevity, and the second character for lychee 'zhi' resembles the word for 'sons'. - Several other 18th century moon flasks of similar form are known. Cf. with a Yongzheng-marked flask of larger size (36.5 cm), painted with birds on prunus branches, illustrated in "The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (III), Hong Kong, 2000, p. 111, no. 97. Cf. also the slightly smaller (29.2 cm) Yongzheng-marked blue and white moon flask sold by Christie's HK, 29 April 2001, lot 566, and another smaller (18.2 cm) related moon flask painted in underglaze blue with similar lappets at the shoulder and above the foot, also sold by Christie's HK, 27 May 2008, lot 1828 - Provenance: Old European private collection, assembled between 1960 and 1990, illustrated in an interior image of the previous owners ca. 1985 - Very slightly scratched, few glaze frits at the rim, minor wear to the enamels