Rare Canton painted enamel coffee pot on gilded copper. Decorated in “famille rose” style with two figures, a gentleman and a noblewoman, in 18th-century clothes and wigs, alternating with landscapes in reserves, foliage and flowers on a brown background. The neck features naturalistic decoration (bird, frog, flowers) in cartouches surrounded by a green honeycomb background. The handle and spout imitate basketwork. Shou character on the base in blue. Yongzheng period (1723-1735).

The lid decorated with scrolls of lotus flowers on a white background; the handle finished with a translucent blue stone.

The decoration on this coffeepot, with its two European figures, is superb, subtly blended with Chinese motifs, and the vigorous, free-form drawing is typical of the early 18th century;

It is heavy, yet probably made for export.

Provenance: O. Perkins Collection, London

Eugene O. Perkins is a collector of Chinese art, active in the 20th century. He wrote a book on painted enamels in 1987, Dating Chinese Painted Enamels and Effects on Other Chinese Art.

He was also a connoisseur of Qing porcelain.

Référence : Michael Gillingham, “Chinese painted enamels”, An exhibition held in the Department of Eastern Art, June and July 1978 Page 50, N°56 a similar Coffee Pot.