A blue and white jar. Wanli Mark And Period.  photo Sotheby's

of ovoid form, the rounded shoulders well-painted in inky tones of underglaze blue with a ruyi collar suspending beaded pendants including the 'Eight Treasures' and flowerheads above a row of stylized flowers, surmounting five horses galloping over rolling seas, with an upright irregular cloud band around the base, the cylindrical neck with a lotus scroll, the six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle Height 9 1/2 in., 24 cm. Estimate 40,000-60,000 USD.  Unsold

NOTE: The decoration of the present jar is more akin to those made in the preceding Jiajing period, which suggests it may have been made early in Wanli's reign. Compare a closely related example, but with a Jiajing reign mark and of the period, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (II), Hong Kong, 2000, pl. 102; one illustrated in Selected
Masterpieces from the Collection of the Nezu Art Museum, Tokyo, 1968, pl. 310; another from the collection of Christina Loke Balsara, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 19th January 1988, lot 256; and a fourth example, from the collection of Mrs. C. Lewis, sold in our London rooms, 10th February 1970, lot 68.

Wanli jars of this type have shorter undecorated necks and the design of the galloping horses rises almost halfway up the sides, see one sold in our London rooms, 12th November 2003, lot 157; and a smaller example was also sold in our London rooms, 11th December 1979, lot 273.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. New York | 20 mars 2012