A Chinese famille rose brush washer with floral design, Qianlong mark, 19th C.

Dia.: 15,1 cm

Provenance: With a label on the base for the collection of Sir Mark Heath.
Mark Evelyn Heath was born at Emsworth, Hampshire on 22nd May 1927 into a naval family and was educated at Marlborough and Queens' College, Cambridge, where he read History. After National Service in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, he joined the Diplomatic Service in 1950 and in 1982 became the first Ambassador to the Holy see. He was appointed CMG on his appointment as Minister to the Holy See in 1980 and then KCVO on the occasion of the Queen's visit the same year. After leaving the Vatican in 1985, Heath's final posting was as head of protocol in the Hong Kong Government. In 1986 the popular Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Edward Youde, suffered a fatal heart attack on a visit to Beijing, becoming the first Hong Kong Governor to die in office. Heath was in charge of arrangements for the funeral on December 9th, 1986. During Heath’s time in Hong Kong, he developed a passion for Chinese ceramics. He frequented Christie’s and Sotheby’s and enjoyed strolling down Hollywood Road browsing the antique shops. Some of the items show a ‘C.Y.Tse Antiques & Collectibles’ sticker from where some of his collection was purchased. The collection was brought back to his home in Bath in 1988 where he retired with his wife. Sir Mark died in 2005.