A blue and white archaistic vase, hu, Ming dynasty, early 17th century. Estimate 6,000 — 8,000 USD. Photo Sotheby's.

the pear-shaped body rising to a tall cylindrical neck flanked by a pair of tubular lug handles, resting on a tall splayed foot, the body painted on either side with a single prunus tree issuing blooms from a bending, twisting trunk, the neck with a wide band of archaistic scrolls and pendent leaves on a leiwen ground, Japanese wood box. Height 10 1/2  in., 26.7 cm

Provenance: Christie's London, 19th June 2001, lot 47.

Notes: The form of this vase is inspired by archaic bronze vessels used for touhu, a 'pitch-pot' game. Touhu was usually a contest between players, who had to throw arrows into the mouth or tubular handles of the vase, which was placed at an equal distance between two mats on which the players knelt. Touhu or 'arrow-form' vases continued to be produced in the Song dynasty and later, through the Ming and Qing dynasties, made in a number of materials including bronze, cloisonné and ceramic.

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