THIS set of four 18th century Chinese porcelain vases, mounted in the early 19th century with French ormolu, feature at Christie’s on July 7. Over four feet tall they were acquired by either the 3rd Duchess of Buccleuch or her grandson, the 5th Duke. The only known parallels in form, scale, magnificence and style are the vases acquired around the same time by the Prince Regent, later George IV, now at Buckingham Palace, London. The ‘Daoist vases’ are an example of the Chinese taste for auspicious imagery. The presence of numerous bats in flight conveys happiness and prosperity – bats being a homophone in Chinese for a word meaning ‘happiness’, whilst the Eight Buddhist and Daoist Emblems, which take a central importance on these vases, are believed to bring blessings and harmony. The vases are expected to realise between £600,000 and £1 million.
The Givenchy Royal Hanover Chandelier is a masterpiece of 18th century Palladian design. The German silver eight-light chandelier was conceived by the celebrated architect and designer William Kent for King George II of Great Britain as Elector of Hanover (r.1727-1760). Kent’s inspired design was realised by the Hanover court goldsmith Balthasar Friedrich Behrens and was delivered to the Hanover palace on September 13, 1736. It later graced Windsor Castle and was most recently sold from the collection of the renowned designer Hubert de Givenchy in Christie’s Monaco in 1994. The estimate is £2.6 million to £3.6 million.