Lot 2289. A rare pair of Ming yellow-enamelled cups, Jiajing six-character marks within circles and of the period (1522-1566); 2 5/16 in. (6 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 150,000 - HKD 250,000. Price realised HKD 162,500. © Christie's Image Ltd 2012

Each cup is supported on a low foot, with the deep rounded sides rising to a straight rim. The cups are covered in a deep yellow glaze with the exception of the base which bears the mark under a transparent glaze, Japanese wood box (2).

Provenance: A Japanese private collection, acquired in the early 20th century 

Note: This pair of cups is unusual in the straight rim and relatively small size. A number of other Jiajing yellow-enamelled bowls, with reign marks incised or written in underglaze blue, have been published but they are all larger in size and are of bell-shape with flaring rims. Compare a pair of bowls with a wide everted mouth rim (7.5 cm. diam.) in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Monochrome Porcelain, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 44.