Lot 148 , A bleu de Huê ‘dragon and phoenix’ bowl, early 20th century, made for the Vietnamese market

A bleu de Huê ‘dragon and phoenix’ bowl, early 20th century, made for the Vietnamese market, the exterior painted with a dragon and a phoenix chasing a flaming pearl amid clouds, the base with nâht (sun) mark, metal mounted rim, diameter 16cm, hairline crack

Provenance -
Formerly in the private collection of (Michael) Ngô Ðình Kha (1856–1914), Minister of Rites and Grand Chamberlain under Emperor Thành Thái of the Nguyen Dynasty, Hue, Vietnam. The pieces passed down through direct descent to his daughter, (Elizabeth) Ngô Ðình Thi Hiep (1903–2005) and her husband Nguyen Van Am, residing in the Phu Cam parish of Hue. They were then entrusted by Ngô Ðình Thi Hiep directly to her daughter, (Bernadette) Nguyen Thi Niem (1932-1997), who successfully transported the pieces upon her departure from Vietnam in 1964 amidst the post-coup political transitions. They then passed down by direct maternal inheritance from Nguyen Thi Niem to the current owner, the great-granddaughter of Ngo Ðình Kha.
Kha was a high-ranking imperial mandarin and royal confidant to Emperor Thành Thái, as well as co-founder of the  Quoc Hoc – Hue High School for the Gifted. A rare Catholic mandarin who bridged traditional Confucian scholarship and Western education, he famously lost his position in 1907 after refusing to sign the French-backed petition to depose the emperor.  His historic Hue household is where his children grew up, including future president (Jean-Baptiste) Ngô Ðình Diem (1901-1963).
£100-200

Condition:
There is a hairline crack extending down approximately 30 mm from the rim, typical minor glaze and manufacturing imperfections, some slight grubbiness around the edge of the foot, There is a shallow splinter chip to the inner biscuit edge of the foot, otherwise in reasonable condition.

Sold for £85