A pair of fine Chinese porcelain famille rose yellow ground vases, each of gu form with flared...

A pair of fine Chinese porcelain famille rose yellow ground vases, each of gu form with flared trumpet neck upon a bulbous mid section and domed base, the yellow ground enamelled with the eight auspicious symbols from Buddhism: the Conch Shell, the Lotus Flower, the Wheel of Dharma, the Parasol, the Endless Knot, the Golden Fish, the Victory Banner and the Treasure Vase, amidst scrolling floral vines and bordered by ruyi clouds and cloud and thunder pattern bands; the mid section with red Jiaqing six character mark, and the interior and base enamelled in turquoise. The bases with old collector's labels, most likely exhibition labels, relating to the preeminent early 20th century Chinese art and artefacts dealer Ching Tsai Loo, each base with circular label reading 'Paris 1956 17', one with larger oblong label marked 'C. T. Loo & Co', with hand written inscription 'L P 464 NXX/C [?]', the other with smaller circular label 'C C [?]', 10.75" (27.5cm) high, rim 6" (15cm) diameter.

Ching Tsai Loo, (1880-1957) best known as C T Loo was an influential and controversial dealer of Chinese art and artefacts working during the first half of the 20th century. Moving from Shanghai to Paris at the turn of the century Loo established an antique business 'Laiyuan and Company' exporting high quality antiquities from China, and quickly detected a new market for early Chinese art.

By the mid 1910's, following the effects of World War I on the art market in Europe, Loo had moved to New York where he rapidly became a significant figure in the art world, catering to the demand for Eastern works of art and introducing a large number of Chinese antiquities to museums, and private western collections.

Provenance: This pair of vases was acquired from an estate sale in the 1950's by the current vendor's family. The vases are accompanied by a copy of a letter of appraisal from Russell Alberts of Ton-Ying & Company Chinese Antiquities, New York, dated 1967.