A 'kinrande' bowl. Jiajing mark and period, dated to the xinyou year (correesponding to 1561). Photo Sotheby's

the deep rounded sides rising from a short tapered foot, painted in gilt around the exterior with an undulating foliate scroll bearing large lotus blossoms, all against a rich coral-red ground, the interior glazed white with a raised mantou center, the similarly glazed base centered with an eight-character mark in underglaze blue within a rectangle, reading Jiajing xinyou Xiaoweng jia qi, made during the xinyou year of the Jiajing reign, a fine vessel for Xiaoweng. Diameter 5 5/8 in., 14.3 cm. Estmate 25,000-30,000 USD

NOTE: During the Jiajing period a wide variety of marks were used on porcelain vessels. Not only did these marks indicate the reign date, but they also contained wishes of good fortune, indicated the place the vessels were made, and as in the present lot, the quality of the vessel and who they were made for, in this case, a fine vessel, jia qi, made for Xiaoweng, literally Elderly Gentleman Weng.

Bowls enameled in iron-red with gilt decoration similar to the present lot, commonly also have interior decoration in underglaze blue, an example of which sold in our London salerooms on 7th November, 2007, lot 312. The present lot is unusual not only because it bears a date, but also for its larger size with a diameter of 14 cm, compared to most examples with diameters of around 12 cm, and the especially fine rendering of the decoration. A greenenameled example with comparably fine decoration and similarly undecorated interior and bulging center, is in the collection of the British Museum and is illustrated by Jessica Harrison-Hall, Ming Ceramics, British Museum, London, 2001, no. 9:65, p. 245.

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