A small blue and whit, 'Dragon' Jar, Mark and period of Wanli. Photo: Sotheby's. 

of compressed globular form, the rounded sides rising from a recessed base to a short tapering neck, decorated on the exterior in soft shades of cobalt with a pair of scaly dragons striding among flowers in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl', above four evenly spaced rocky outcrops rising from a turbulent sea, all between a border of upright lappets skirting the base and a band of pendent petals encircling the rim, the recessed base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark within a double ring, wood stand; diameter 8.5 cm., 3 3/8  in. Estimation 400,000 — 600,000 HKD (40,239 - 60,359 EUR) 

Provenance: Songzhutang Collection, no. 59.
Bonhams London, 11th November 2002, lot 175.

Compare a slightly smaller Wanli waterpot of similar form and decoration, but the dragon painted between two ruyi bands at shoulder and foot, included in the exhibitionThe Fame of Flame. Imperial Wears of the Jiajing and Wanli Periods, University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2009, cat. no. 51; and another, but the design reverse-painted to depict dragons pencilled on a blue ground, sold in these rooms, 24th November 1987, lot 37.

Sotheby's. Important Ming Porcelain from a Private Collection. Hong Kong | 08 oct. 2013 - http://www.sothebys.com