Lot 3621. A small iron-red and gilt-decorated 'dragon and phoenix' stem cup, Fushou wujiang mark, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722); h. 6.5 cm. Lot Sold 825,500 HKD (Estimate 500,000 - 700,000 HKD). © Sotheby's 2023 

Provenance: Sotheby's London, 6th July 1976, lot 176.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8th November 1982, lot 188.

Note: Small and delicately potted stemcups first emerged during the Chenghua period of the Ming dynasty and saw a revival in Qing Kangxi period of the Qing dynasty. The present cup is adorned with medallions of shou-characters wreathed by dragons and phoenixes. This motif conveys happiness and longevity and therefore, the cup could have been commissioned as a birthday gift to a member of the imperial family.

A dish with similar iron-red and gilt decoration is illustrated in Sun yingzhou de taoci shijie [The ceramics world of Sun Yingzhou], Palace Museum, Beijing, 2003, cat. no. 112.