A very rare blue and white relief-molded vase, fanggu, Wanli six-character mark in underglaze blue in a line and of the period

6 septembre 2015

A very rare blue and white relief-molded vase, fanggu, Wanli six-character mark in underglaze blue in a line and of the period

A very rare blue and white relief-molded vase, fanggu, Wanli six-character mark in underglaze blue in a line and of the period (1573-1619). Estimate $180,000 – $250,000. Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2015.

The vase is of square section and heavily potted. The neck is decorated in rich cobalt blue with opposing bands of leaf tips, and the bulbous middle section is applied on each side with a lion-mask handle flanked by molded dragons leaping amidst flower scroll, which is repeated on the lower section. The base is molded to resemble a stand, with shaped aprons joining ruyi-form legs above the stepped foot. 12 5/8 in. (32 cm.) high, wood stand, Japanese wood box

Ptovenance: Shinichi Sasagawa Collection, Osaka.
Mayuyama & Co, Ltd., Tokyo, before 1976.

Literature: Toji Taikei vol. 42, Min no Sometsuke, Ryoichi Fujioka (ed.), Tokyo, 1975, p. 109, no. 71
Mayuyama, Seventy Years, vol. 1, Mayuyama & Co. Ltd., Tokyo, 1976, fig. 954.
Sekai Toji Zenshu, Ming Dynasty, vol. 14, Tokyo, 1976, p. 99, pl. 102.

The present vase, as illustrated in Mayuyama, Seventy Years, vol. 1, Mayuyama & Co. Ltd., Tokyo, 1976, fg. 954.

Notes: The faceted gu shape and molded dragon decoration of this rare vase can also be seen on a few published wucai vases with Jiajing marks. One such vase is illustrated in Sekai Toji Zenshu, vol. 14, Ming Dynasty, Tokyo, 1976, p. 211, pl. 222, and a pair was sold at Christie's New York, 22 March 2007, lot 316. Unlike the compressed, or more squat body of the present blue and white vase, the wucai examples, which are also heavily potted, have taller bodies (19 in.), with the additional height found primarily in the lower body. The present vase shares with the wucai vases similar molded decoration of pairs of dragons leaping amidst flowers and leaves on either side of a lion-mask handle that projects from each side of the middle section, and also on the lower body above a faux stand with shaped aprons. However, because of the compressed shape of the vase, the dragon decoration is more dense than on the wucai vases. And, as with the present vase, the wucai examples have a rather short neck, also decorated with opposing bands of leaf tips below a decorative band incorporating the nianhao in a panel on the upright rim.