Note: Bottle vases of this shape with this decoration are extremely rare. A very similar example in the Percival David Collection is illustrated by M. Medley, Illustrated Catalogue of Underglaze Blue and Copper Red Decorated Porcelains, London, 1976, pl. IV, no. 689. It is noted, p. 32, that there is a recumbent elephant on one side, as with the present vase, but a dappled horse on the reverse. This side is illustrated in Oriental Ceramics, The World's Great Collections, Tokyo/New York/San Francisco, 1982, vol. 6, no. 144. Another vase of similar shape and size, but painted with dragons and cranes, is illustrated by R. Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, vol. II, London, 1986, p. 653, no. 1011. The 'magic fountain' decoration is more usually found on ewers with pear-shaped bodies, four of which are illustrated ibid., pp. 654-6, nos. 1013-1016. On these the fountain has either a lion or qilin at its base.