An Extremely Rare Blue And White Foliate Cupstand. Yuan Dynasty, Early-Mid 14th Century - Photo Sotheby's

of lobed octafoil form with a flat base and an everted rim, moulded in the centre with a raised eight-petal medallion corresponding to a recessed medallion of conforming shape on the underside, each rounded petal picked out with deep blue hatched lines, surrounded by radiating lappets enclosing trefoil-shaped clouds reserved in white on shaded hatching, and a 'classic' scroll encircling the rim, the exterior left plain, the base unglazed: 16 cm., 6 1/4 in. Estimation: 1,600,000 - 2,000,000 HKD

PROVENANCE: J.J. Lally & Co., New York. 

LITTERATURE: Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994-2010, vol. 4, no. 1616.

NOTE DE CATALOGUE: This cup stand appears to be unique and no other example appears to be recorded with a raised petal collar or with shaded hatching as here used around the cloud motifs, which successfully conveys the impression of a relief design.

Although a number of Yuan cup stands with different designs are known, hardly any cups have come to light, which might have been used together with such stands. One small cup was apparently found together with a stand among the Yuan remains at Luomaqiao, Jingdezhen; both were included in the exhibition Ceramic Finds from Jingdezhen Kilns (10th-17th Century), Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1992, cat. no. 163. 

Sotheby's . The Meiyintang Collection, Part IV - An Important Selection of Imperial Chinese Porcelains. Hong Kong | 09 oct. 2012, www.sothebys.com