Lot 2941. A blue and white 'Cranes' box and cover, mark and period of Jiajing (1522-1566); 27.6 cm., 10.7/8 in. Estimate 100,000 — 150,000 HKD. Lot sold 211,500 HKD (17,183 EUR) (27,154 USD). Courtesy Sotheby's 2008.

the slightly domed circular cover painted in deep cobalt blue in the centre with eight flying cranes surrounded by auspicious emblems, the box and cover each bordered on the side with four panels with further pairs of cranes reserved on a wan diaper ground, and a lingzhi scroll along the rim, the base inscribed with a six-character reign mark in underglaze-blue.

Provenance: Formerly in a Japanese Collection. 

Note: Wanli box of this pattern was included in the exhibition Gen Min no tôji, Idemitsu Museum of Art, Tokyo, cat.no.92; and another is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed-Red, vol.II, Hong Kong, 2000, pl.109.  See also a Wanli box of this design from the Toguri Collection, sold in our London rooms, 9th June 2004, lot 43.