Chinese Black Cloisonné Vase – Dragon & Blossom on Midnight Ground, 1940s–50s

Black ground cloisonné is the dramatic cousin of the more common turquoise and white varieties — rarer, moodier, and considerably more impressive on a dark shelf. This vase has a midnight black enamel ground that makes every other colour on it pop like fireworks: a coiling golden dragon wraps around the belly, surrounded by swirling ruyi clouds in teal and gold, while the shoulder carries a band of lotus leaves in deep green and the neck is decorated with cherry blossom and scrolling cloud motifs in pink and white.

The turquoise enamelled base is the classic Chinese cloisonné signature. The gold wire cloisons are fine and precise. This is a confident, well-made piece from a period when Chinese cloisonné production was still largely handcrafted.

• Origin: China
• Period: 1940s–50s
• Technique: Cloisonné enamel on copper
• Motif: Dragon & ruyi clouds on black ground, blossom on neck
• Dimensions: 21 × 13 cm
• Weight: 564 grams
• Condition: Top — no chips, cracks, or repairs

WARNING: A dragon vase on a black ground is not a subtle decorating choice. It will immediately become the focal point of any room it enters, and it knows this. Maison de L'oro accepts no responsibility for any rearranging of furniture, repainting of walls, or sudden interest in Chinese decorative arts that may follow.