Lot 1521. A brown-glazed slip-painted vase, meiping, Ming dynasty, 17th century; 25.5cm., 10 in. Estimate 120,000 — 150,000 HKD. Lot sold 187,500 HKD. Courtesy Sotheby's.

well potted with rounded shoulders curving to a waisted neck with lipped rim, the decoration reserved in white against a thick creamy brown glaze, freely painted with two large sprays of slender arrowhead stems and lotus blooms rising from small ears of millet, the petals of the blooms and leaves further accented with combed lines implying shading and depth, the sprays divided by two cranes, the footring left unglazed.

Provenance: From a private Japanese collection. 

Note:The combination of a toffee-brown ground and contrasting white slip decoration was introduced in the Wanli period.  The technique for painting on slip on a monochrome ground was popular in Kirman, Iran in the 17th century.  In China this type of 'Swatow-type' wares were made in vast quantities with minor variation to the designs. 

See a variety of slip-painted brown-ground vases with similar decoration in the British Museum, illustrated in Jessica Harrison-Hall, Ming Ceramics, London, 2001, pp. 347-349.  

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 09 Oct 2007