"Chicken" Wine cup, Chenghua mark and period (1465-1487), Ming dynasty. Porcelain painted in underglaze blue and coloured enamels (doucai), Jingdezhen kilns, south China. Height: 3.6 cm, Diameter: 8.3 cm. From the E.T. Chow collection. Museum number: C.1-1960. Victoria & Albert Museum © V&A Images

In the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) Jingdezhen became the major ceramic-manufacturing centre. Imperial kilns were established to produce fine porcelain for the exclusive use of the emperors. The tradition of inscribing the emperor's reign title on the wares also started in the Ming. This 'chicken cup', so called because of the hens and chicks design, is typical of the Chenghua reign period.

'Chicken cups', so-called because of the hens and chicks design, have very fine body and delicate painting. They are highly prized by collectors.