A rare yellow and green 'Crane and Phoenix' square bowl, Jiajing mark and period. Estimate 250,000 — 300,000 USD. Photo Sotheby's.

well-potted of square section, the deep sides terminating in an everted rim, the exterior with green-enameled and incised alternating panels of  flying phoenix or swooping crane both amidst clouds, issuing blooms all above a stiff leaf border, the interior well with central lingzhi sprig flanked by a phoenix and crane with furtherlingzhi and a shou character enclosed by a line border, the rim with a wide band of incised lingzhi scroll, all picked out in green enamel on a yellow ground, the recessed base white-glazed with a six-character mark in underglaze blue, Japanese wood boxes. Width 7 5/8  in., 19.3 cm

Notes: Square bowls of the present form appear to be an innovation of the Jiajing period. Produced in varying palettes decorated with themes of 'Boys', 'Dragons', 'Shou' characters and the present example of 'Phoenix and Crane'; all of which reflect the Jiajing emperor's dedication to the Daoism.

Bowls of the same form, palette and design are illustrated in Sekai toji zenshu, vol. 14, Tokyo, 1976, p. 81, no. 82-83; an example in the National Palace Museum in Porcelain of the National Palace Museum, Enamelled Wares of the Ming Dynasty,vol. II, 1966, Hong Kong, pp. 58-59, pls. 6a, b, c, d; and another in the British Art Museum, London in Margaret Medley,Illustrated Catalogue of Ming Polychrome Wares in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 1978, section 5, pl. VI, no. 59; Anthony du Boulay in Christie's Pictorial History of Chinese Ceramics, Oxford, 1984, p. 163, no. 3.  Another of the same type from the J.M. Hu Collection sold Christie's New York, 22nd September 1995, lot 611. 

A pair of bowls, of smaller dimension, incised with dragons, from the Mount Trust, was included in the exhibition The Arts of the Ming Dynasty, Oriental Ceramic Society, London, 1957, cat. no. 200 and another of this type was sold in our London rooms 4th November 2009, lot 81. 

Sotheby's. Chinese Art through the Eye of Sakamoto Gor – Ceramics, New York, 17 mars 2015, 10:00 AM