A rare Imperial numbered purple-glazed 'Jun' Jardiniere. Yuan-Early Ming Dynasty. Photo Sotheby's

sturdily potted, the body of compressed globular form, rising from a broad generously splayed foot, covered overall with a rich and lustrous deep purple glaze on the exterior, thinning to a grayish tone around the foot, the interior applied with a milky-blue glaze, the base pierced with five evenly spaced circular apertures, and incised with the numeral er below a brown slip, the neck reduced; Height 6 3/8 in., 16.2 cm; Diameter 10 1/4 in., 26 cm. Estimate 100,000-150,000 USD

PROVENANCE: Collection of Millicent Rogers (1902 - 1953).

NOTE: The present jardinière belongs to a small group of 'Jun' flower pots characterized by their distinctive shapes and intensely colored glazes. Rare for its large size, it also bears a numeral inscription on the base, hence vessels of this type are often referred to as 'numbered Jun' wares. Since many of 'numbered Jun' vessels are in the Imperial collections of the Palace Museum, Beijing and the National Palace Museum, Taipei, and sometimes inscribed with the names of Palace halls, these vessels can now be considered Imperial vessels made for the Yuan and early Ming Imperial court. The significance of the numbers, ranging from one (yi) to ten (shi), is not yet fully understood, however, it appears that they coincide roughly with different sizes with 'one' being the largest and 'ten' the smallest version of the shape. Numbers may have also been applied to help match the vessels with their suitable stands.the shape. Numbers may have also been applied to help match the vessels with their suitable stands.

Compare a range of large 'Jun' flower pots and stands, all numbered and glazed with a similarly striking purple glaze, formerly in the collection of the Qing Court and now in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. vol. 32, Porcelain of the Song Dynasty (1), Hong Kong, 1996, col. pls. 14, 16-18 and 26.14, 16-18 and 26.

A number of flower pots of the same size and compressed globular shape, previously likened to zhadou with reduced necks, are known. See, for instance, a sky-blue glazed 'Jun' jardinière, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 20th May 1980, lot 10, and another example sold in our Hong Kong rooms 14th November 1983, lot 42. Compare also other examples of this form, illustrated in Stephen W. Bushell, Oriental Ceramic Art, New York, 1980, pl. XCIV, and one in the Eumorfopoulos Collection, published in Robert Lockhart Hobson, The George Eumorfopoulos Collection Catalogue of the Chinese, Corean and Persian Pottery and Porcelain, Vol. Three, London, 1926, no. C3.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. New York. 14 september 2011 www.sothebys.com