Beschreibung:

AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE AND IMPORTANT PAIR OF BLUE AND WHITE OCTAGONAL CANDLESTICKSYongle Each with a truncated octagonal faceted base divided into eight waisted vertical panels, each panel decorated with an undulating leafy stem sprouting two blossoms, the corners of the panels with ruyi-head blue-ground spandrels, in pairs forming cloud collars divided by narrow borders between the panels, the slightly depressed drip-pan decorated with a band of lotus lappets enclosing swirling waves, the upright cylindrical neck with leafy chrysanthemum scroll sprouting full-blown flowers below a band of diaper pattern, all below an octagonal socket encircled with a band of overlapping leaves, key-fret scrolls and lappets, all in a deep tone of cobalt-blue with 'heaped and piled' areas oxidised to an inky colour beneath a blueish-hue transparent glaze, box. Each 29cm (11 3/8in) high, 8.5cm (3 3/8in) mouth diam., 24cm (9 1/2in) base diam. (2).Footnotes明永樂 青花纏枝花卉八方燭臺一對 Provenance: Richard J. Livingston (1910-1988) and Jane (née Steinfeld) Livingston (1912-1993), Oak Park, Illinois, acquired by the 1930's Ann Florence Thomas (née Livingston), daughter of the above, circa 1961 An American private collection, purchased directly from Ann Florence Thomas in 1981 來源： 美國伊利諾斯州奧客帕克理查德·利文斯頓（1910-1988）及簡·利文斯頓（婚前姓斯坦菲爾德，1912-1993）舊藏，購於1930年代 利文斯頓之女安·弗洛倫斯·利文斯頓（婚後姓托馬斯），約1961年繼承 美國私人收藏，1981年購於安·弗洛倫斯·利文斯頓 The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test no.P120g82 dated 10 December 2020, is consistent with the dating of this lot (one of a pair) 牛津鑒定公司熱釋光檢測結果（2020年12月10日，編號P120g82）顯示年代與本拍品年代一致（一對之一）。 For a detailed discussion of the present lot by Mr Geng Dongsheng and Mr Huang Weiwen, please scan the QR code to the special catalogue 請掃描二維碼獲取本拍品單冊，內有耿東升及黃衛文先生專文. A Note about the History of the Candlesticks from the 1930s to the Present This magnificent pair of blue and white porcelain candlesticks was owned in the 1930's by Richard J. Livingston (1910-1988) and his wife, Jane Steinfeld Livingston (1912-1993). They had married in 1935 and moved to Oak Park, Illinois. Jane Livingston (née Steinfeld) was the daughter of Anna Brush Steinfeld (1886-1956) and Nathan Steinfeld (1878-1947) of New York City. Jane was a debutant in 1928 and was known in social circles as the "belle of New York". Richard and Jane's daughter, Ann Florence Thomas (née Livingston), born in 1936, still remembers, from her early childhood, the candlesticks always being on the dining room table of her parents' large family residence at 175 North Taylor Avenue in Oak Park, Illinois. Ann's father, Richard, owned a successful family bakery, the Continental Baking Company, and was an active member of the United World Federalist Society, serving as a Regional President in the late 1950's. By 1961, the Livingstons had moved to Wisconsin and from there onward to Florida. Before her parents moved to Florida, the candlesticks and the dining room table along with other family items were transferred to the possession of Ann, who was by then married. After her first husband died, she moved with their three children to a West Coast university town, where she remarried and returned to academic studies. There Ann met a Professor from whom she took classes, resulting in a friendship between the two families. Ann Thomas moved with her family to Florida in 1981 and prior to her move, held a house sale at which time the Professor, who is the current owner, purchased household items from including the dining room table and the present pair of candlesticks. These have been in the possession of the current owners to this date. Now that this exceptionally rare pair of early Ming dynasty candlesticks has been recognised for their importance, the owner felt it appropriate that they will be admired by the larger public and find a new home. 本對燭臺傳承脈絡 本對燭臺最初由理查德·利文斯頓（1910-1988）及簡·利文斯頓（婚前姓斯坦菲爾德，1912-1993）伉儷購於二十世紀三十年代，二人1930年結婚，居住於美國伊利諾斯州奧客帕克。簡·利文斯頓（婚前姓斯坦菲爾德）出身名门，為安娜·布拉什·斯坦菲爾德（1886-1956）及內森·斯坦菲爾德（1878-1947）之女，