£76,923
Auction: 16 May 2018 at 17:00 BST
robustly potted with a globular body surmounted by a tall, waisted neck with a flared rim, the neck flanked by a pair of stylised dragon handles, the body boldly enamelled in vibrant colours with four large lotus flowerheads below bats, interspersed with scattered sprigs of lotus and hibiscus, all reserved on a turquoise ground with a myriad of gilt scrolls imitating the metal wires of cloisonné ware, the neck encircled by a key-fret band, the foot with a stiff-leaf band and the mouth with an archaistic scroll band
Provenance:
From the collection of the late William Crawford Gray (d.1918); thence by direct family descent.
The Collection of the Late William Crawford Gray (d.1918)
Gray was founder of the Gray's Carpets Ltd in Ayr, Scotland. Beginning with two hand looms in a small shop in 1876, Gray's later grew to become one of Britain's most successful carpet manufacturers. By the 1930s, it had showrooms in Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Dublin, and Belfast, as well as international representatives in Europe, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
Known in the carpet trade for having developed the 'seamless kidder', company founder William Gray was a world traveller and avid art collector in his private life. The Chinese and Japanese artworks from his collection, most notably a massive Kinkozan satsuma vase, a large ivory and lacquer Takarabune and the present lot, all reflect the exquisite taste of the Scottish entrepreneur.