Lot 871. A small covered box with intricately painted underglaze blue and polychrome designs, Lê dynasty, 15th-16th century; 2 3/4in (7cm) diameter. Estimate US$ 1,000 - 1,500 (€840 - 1,300). Unsold. Photo: Bonhams.  

Of compressed globular form, the cover molded with six lobes and painted in underglaze blue with conforming outlines of a six-petaled flower surrounded by cloud collar lappets with iron red and green enamel accents, the exterior walls similarly outlined and colored with conforming ogival reserve of alternating leafy plants and diaper panels, the foot pad and shallowly recessed base left unglazed.   

Published: James H. Brow and Anh Hoang Brow, 'Vietnamese Ceramics: A Ten Thousand Year Continuum,' Arts of Asia, March-April 2004, p. 93, no. 34. 

Note: For a similarly painted box, see John Stevenson and John Guy, Vietnamese Ceramics: A Separate Tradition, 1997, p. 362, no. 339 (lower right corner of photograph).

Bonhams. FINE ASIAN WORKS OF ART, 18 Dec 2017, 11:00 PST, SAN FRANCISCO