Frequenting auctions at Sotheby’s and Christie’s, as well as such prominent dealers as Spink and Roger Bluett of Bluett & Son, Mr Morrill (who maintained homes in Massachusetts and Florida but spent most of his time in Florence) was one of the few major collectors of his generation focusing primarily on blue and white porcelain created during the 14th and early 15th centuries. His other passion was music.
Together with his wife, he founded the Gordon and Elizabeth Morrill Music Library at Villa I Tatti, considered the finest collection of Italian Medieval and Renaissance musicology in Italy.
The sale will be held in two sessions: over 130 lots of Chinese Export blue and white and armorial porcelain and more than 30 pieces of Yuan and early Ming blue and white including an important Yuan Dynasty blue and white porcelain large dragon dish that is one of only three known examples (estimate $700,000-900,000).
Measuring 191/8in (48.5cm) diameter, this mid 14th century dish is painted in an inky blue with a single, rampant, celestial dragon exuding bands of flames and facing directly front, a posture known only on this vessel.
Another highlight is a large and rare Yuan Dynasty blue and white porcelain pilgrim flask, the only such flask known to be still in private hands (estimate $500,000-700,000).
Of noteworthy provenance is a blue and white porcelain charger dating to the Yongle Period (1403-1425) that was presented by the Dowager Empress Cixi (Tzu Hsi) to Sir Robert Hart, the Inspector General of the Imperial Maritime Customs of the Chinese Treaty Ports. It is expected to bring $100,000-150,000.
Doyle’s will hold a special exhibition of highlights from the collection in Hong Kong in August, the dates and venue to be announced shortly. An Internet catalogue will be available in mid-July at www.doylenewyork.com while printed versions can be ordered at (212) 427-2730.
Morrill in blue and white
On September 16, Doyle New York will sell the F. Gordon Morrill collection of Chinese and Chinese Export porcelain. Considered to be one of the last great collections of early blue and white Chinese porcelain still in private hands – the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston has described the Morrill collection as “equal in quality to the superb collection at the Ardebil Shrine in Tehran, Persia” – the archive was assembled during the 1960s and 70s, when many notable collections came onto the market.
