Lot 455. A fine and rare Ming wucai 'dragon' zun-shaped vase, China, Wanli six-character mark within double circles and of the period (1573-1639). Estimate 20.000/25.000 €. Lot sold 200.000 €. © 2015 Nagel Auctions

Of archaistic shape, the vase is well potted and finely decorated in vibrant enamels with pairs of sinuous dragons in turquoise and iron-red, on the compressed globular mid-section, around the spreading foot and on the tall trumpet neck, each pair divided by sets of vertical flanges, and the sections separated by bands of scrolls and petal lappets, the everted mouth rim encircled on both sides by freely scrolling flowers - H. 31,8 cm - Very minor wear

Provenance: According to the present owners formerly in old Flemish private collection

Notes: Cf. Chinese Ceramcis: one hundred selected masterpieces from collections in Japan, England, France and America, Fujio Koyama (ed.), The Nihon Keizai Newspaper, Tokyo, 1960, no. 53. Toki Zenshu, vol. 27, Min no Akae, Ryoichi Fujioka, Heibonsha, 1966, col. pl. 8

The form of this rare, archaistic zun-shaped porcelain vase was one that found considerable favour with the Wanli court, as evidenced by the pair of smaller vases of this form, with aubergine decoration on a yellow ground, which were excavated in 1958 from the Dingling tomb of the Wanli emperor, see Zhongguo wenwu jinghua da cidian - Taoci juan, Shanghai cishu chubanshe, 1995, p. 404, no. 803.

Although there were several versions of the ancient bronze zun form made in porcelain over the centuries, the form seen on the vases from the Wanli emperor's tomb and on the current vase is one of the closest to the bronze original, bearing appropriate flanges. A similar version of this form, with the same shape of foot, but with slightly lower centre of gravity, is also occasionally seen among ceramic wares of the Jiajing reign 

Nagel. "Asian Art", 07/12/2015