Famille verte porcelain canister and cover

Kangxi period, 1662 – 1722; mounted in silver and stamped with the poinçon: Colombe du Saint Esprit, France, 1722 – 1726
Height: 18 cm | 7 1/16 in

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The cylindrical canister rests on an unglazed chamfered foot – its base recessed and glazed. A classic famille verte naturalistic scene decorates the sides – with birds resting on flowering trees amongst rockwork, between two bands of flower heads against a stippled ground. The circular flat topped cover is painted with a camellia – the large single flower centered within a double red circle; a band of decoration at the cover’s side is divided into four simple naturalistic panels, interspersed by a stippled floral ground design. A simple French silver collar secures the canister and cover – its central band worked with various charming decorative designs, each divided by a diamond motif against a punched and stippled ground; this echoes the background decoration on the borders of the Chinese porcelain. The silver is marked with the poinçon: Colombe du Saint Esprit (the French hallmark: ‘Dove of the Holy Spirit’) on both the cover and container – dating the mounts to between 1722 and 1726.