A large Longquan celadon jar, guan,Ming dynasty, 15th-16th century. Estimate $10,000 – $12,000. Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2015.

The globular body is carved with four large ogival cartouches separated by different scrolling flower stems and enclosing four characters, mei jiu qing xiang ('excellent wine, clear and fragrant'), all above a band of upright petals, and covered with a glaze of olive-green color which also covers the interior, except for the center of the bottom, as well as the recessed, convex base, the mouth and foot rims unglazed and burnt orange in the firing. 8 ¾ in. (22.3 cm.) diam., Japanese wood box

Provenance: Private collection, Japan, since the late 19th-early 20th century.

Note: A similar jar from the Tsui Museum of Art, but covered in a glaze of paler sea-green color, was sold at Christie's New York, 15 September 2011, lot 1489.

Christie's. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 17 - 18 September 2015, New York, Rockefeller Plaza