Large blue Double-Gourd Vase, Qianlong Mark & Period

We are offering a very large Qianlong Mark & of the Period double-gourd shaped vase with sacrificial blue glaze. Monochrom blue glazed vessels were used during Imperial ceremonial of worshipping the heaven. Those blue-glazed vessels were not made for daily use in the Imperial household. Not too many were made and only a small number of blue wares have survived. This particualr vase has an imposing large size and a classic Imperial form. The high-fired blue glaze on this vase has a sapphire jewel-like quality and even color, which is difficult to achieve on a large vessel. The glaze on the small mouth rim had turned white due to lack of blue glaze from draining in kiln. The glaze stops neatly above the sloping foot rim. The thick foot rim was pared flat at the bottom and exposed the silky smooth white porcelain body. The base inside the foot rim is glazed white and is inscribed with a six-character Qianlong Imperial seal mark in blue. As photographed, there is a small indentation at the flat foot ring which is not a chip, it was a small defect when the foot was pared by a knife. Other than the small defect at the foot rim and some normal glaze wear/scratches, this magnificent vase is in excellent condition. This is a rare and important Qing Imperial monochrome porcelain hardly available on auctions. Size: height; 36.8cm; body diameter: 22cm