LONDON.- Renowned for their expertise in cross cultural works of art, Jorge Welsh - Oriental Porcelain and Works of Art was awarded Masterpiece Highlight 2015 in the field of Islamic and Indian Ceramics, Furniture and Works of Art. During the preview of Masterpiece London, the specialist vetting committees selected the rare mid 17th century Double Case Pipe from Sri Lanka as an important highlight of the fair. The vetting committees singled out the pipe case as being representative of excellence in scholarship, rarity and connoisseurship within its category. The double pipe case, dated to the mid 17th century, was created in wood covered with a mica sheet and intricately carved ivory plaques, measuring 63.5 cm long and 7.8 cm wide.

Tobacco, originally imported from Latin America, is believed to have arrived in the East during the 16th century. Initially viewed to have medicinal properties it was expensive and only affordable for a limited number of people, but within a relatively short period of time became widespread throughout society. Cases such as this one, however, were only used by the wealthy, and were made to protect the extremely fragile clay pipes for which Gouda in the Netherlands was the main centre of production. In fact, this type of object was very popular among Dutch people living in the tropics and they were usually imported there. Sinhalese pipe cases are extremely rare and belong to a group of the finest objects made for export. To our knowledge, only five other objects of this type are known. A Singhalese pipe case in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam depicts a pipe-smoking Dutchman on the short end of the lid. Another pipe case with pierced ivory panels and made to hold two pipes is in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, a third example with a lion finial on the lid belongs to the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore, and two more are in private collections.

Established antique dealers with 30 years of experience in the art market, Jorge Welsh and Luísa Vinhais are proud to be showing at Masterpiece such and important 17th century Singhalese work of art part of a fine collection of ivory objects that include several cabinets and other typologies. “We have been collecting, researching and exhibiting cross-cultural works of art from Africa, India, Sri Lanka, China and Japan for a long time. This is an important recognition from Masterpiece and we are very proud of it”.

Some other highlights of the stand include a Kangxi period rare, large five-piece garniture decorated with European scenes; and a pair of famille rose hawks from the Qianlong period.

The rare five-piece garniture from ca. 1700-1710 is decorated with four European designs. These are thought to derive from costume prints by the three brothers of the Parisian Bonnart family: Robert (1652-ca.1729), Nicolas (1637-1718) and Henry (1642-1711). These scenes appear to belong to three different sets of engravings: two of them from a set entitled ‘The Three Graces’, one from ‘The Five Senses’ and the fourth taken from a set of ‘The Elements’. These extremely popular fashion portraits and copper engravings were published between 1685 and 1700 in Paris. Whilst the source of the design is undoubtedly French, it is uncertain as to whether this porcelain garniture was destined for the French market, as high Parisian fashion was widely emulated across Europe during this period. The hairstyle of the ladies is known as ‘a la mode Fontanges’, after the name of one of King Louis XIV’s mistresses. A very similar three-piece garniture, with two beaker vases and one baluster jar, was in the collection of Augustus the Strong and is now in the Zwinger Museum, in Dresden.

Another highlight of the stand is a Qianlong period brilliantly coloured pair of hawks, modelled as mirror image of each other. They are each perched on a rockwork base with one claw drawn up to the body. The wings are folded and the head is turned slightly to the side. Models of hawks, such as the present pair, were particularly popular for the English and French markets between about 1735 and 1760. During the period before 1750 they were frequently rendered with bright colours. Most were ordered by private trade for clients in Europe, and were purely ornamental in purpose. Similar figures were made in the West, largely at the Meissen factory. Hawking and falconry were popular sports in both Europe and China at this time. Several model hawks can be found in the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts.

Masterpiece holds a prominent position at the heart of the summer season, drawing both international and UK based visitors to the capital for what is now considered the most representative art fair in London.

Jorge Welsh gallery was founded in 1986. Jorge Welsh and Luísa Vinhais are experts in Chinese porcelain - with an emphasis on export porcelain - and cross-cultural works of art from Africa, India and Japan ranging from the 15th to the 18th century.
With galleries in London and Lisbon, Jorge Welsh and Luísa Vinhais exhibit regularly at reputed art fairs including TEFAF Maastricht, La Biennale des Antiquaires de Paris, Asian Art in London and the Masterpiece London. Their works of art are acquired by collectors and museums all over the world, and regularly lent for their temporary exhibitions.

Jorge Welsh Books, the publishing and research division, has published 20 catalogues and books. The latest catalogue, “Out of the Ordinary: living with Chinese export porcelain”, was published in English and Chinese.

Five further publications are currently in progress and due for release soon. Together with their in-house research team and independent international scholars, the aim of these publications is to contribute to furthering knowledge in their chosen areas of expertise.