The minute we laid our eyes upon this stunning Qing Dynasty vessel, we knew that we had to have it. But beyond that, it was and to some extent remains a beautiful mystery. What was its purpose? Age? History? What was certain was the level of craftsmanship involved in this piece. In this post, we attempt our very best guesses. 
Starting from what can be observed. It is a beautiful and large vessel. It was likely a jardiniere rather than a fish tank or other purposes, due to the beautifully decorated exterior and simple interior design. Yet beyond that, much of its provenance remains unknown.
The repairs immediately caught our eye due to their nature- staple repair was an art with centuries of tradition in China, but largely faded into obscurity there and in Europe in the 19th century. Moreover, the unique shape of these ties immediately denoted their age; “leech nail ties” or 蚂蝗绊 have a storied history in Asia, with examples in the Tokyo National Museum. Each individual leech nail tie would require careful placement and the cost of repair, among other things, was dependant per staple. The painstaking efforts of drilling each staple and bonding the piece meant that these were only done with high value and treasured pieces.
The inscription states this to be made during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Zhong He Tang or “Central Harmony Hall”. Bearing in mind that inscriptions could also be seen as paying homage to particular eras, that and the famille jaune, in conjunction with the historic repairs, leads us to believe that this piece is no later than the 19th century.
The entire exterior of the jardiniere is well decorated, with several prominent motifs. Twin fish symbolize connubial bliss, as well as good fortune; the peaches, decorated in yellow and red, symbolise longevity. Cloud motifs symbolise the wish for good fortune and abundant prosperity, as do the detailed blossom motifs, possibly azaleas. There are 15 leech nail ties along the front and right side of the jardiniere. This historic repair was skilfully done and should be considered as part of the item’s history at this point.
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Dimensions: 42cm diameter, 45cm height.
Condition: Some wear to base commensurate with age of antique and use. Some wear to glaze along base, as pictured. Overall in very good condition considering age and sides from historic repair as mentioned.