Lot 1629. A fine pair of yellow-glazed cups, Marks and period of Kangxi (1662-1722); 7.5 cm., 3 in. Estimate 400,000—500,000 HKD. Lot Sold 2,420,000 HKD. photo Sotheby's 2009

each delicately potted, the egg-shell thin sides of the deep U-shaped cups moulded in low-relief on the exterior with a narrow register of two pairs of confronting archaistic phoenix, flanked on the sides by a pair of thin phoenix-shaped handles, supported on a short straight foot, all beneath a pale lemon-yellow glaze, the interior and underside glazed white, the base marked in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark within double circles, stands - width across handles 

Note: A slightly larger cup of this form, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong. Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989, p. 164, pl. 147; another from the Sir Percival David Collection in the British Museum, London, is published together with a cupstand in the Illustrated Catalogue of Ming and Qing Monochrome Wares in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 1973, pl. III, no. 567; and its companion cup and stand was sold in our London rooms, 15^th October 1968, lot 122. One of the pair of cups with stands was also included in the International Exhibition of Chinese Art, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1935-6, cat. no. 2685. A further example was sold in these rooms, 5^th November 1996, lot 844; and another, previously in the in the George Eumorphopoulos Collection, was sold at Christie's New York, 28^th March 1996, lot 406.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. 08 Oct 09. Hong Kong