Lot 17. A rare Longquan celadon-glazed pomegranate-form vase, shiliu zun, early Ming dynasty, 14th-15th century; 14 in. (35.5 cm.) high. Estimate GBP 8,000 - GBP 12,000 (USD 10,456 - USD 15,684). © Christie's Images Ltd 2018

The body of the vase is decorated with four alternating panels enclosing lychee branches and lotus blooms above a lappet band at the foot. The shoulder is carved with a band of circular blooms, and the ribbed neck is decorated with a lotus scroll beneath a band of stiff leaves, all below a wide flaring rim carved with a chevron band and applied with a row of bosses. 

Provenance: Christie's London, 12 May 2009, lot 154.

Note: This is from a rare group of Longquan vases which are inspired by contemporaneous metal ware. A very similar vase is in the Palace Museum in Beijing and is illustrated in Ceramics Galleries of the Palace Museum, Part II, Beijing, 2008, p. 373, pl. 290. A smaller vase without the moulded decoration, is in the British Museum, illustrated by J. Harrison-Hall in Ming Ceramics in the British Museum, London, 2001, p. 474, pl.16:33 where the author states that Tibetan brass and copper ewers may have inspired the unusual roll-up mouth with bosses as seen on the current lot. 

Longquan celadon-glazed pomegranate-form vase, shiliu zun, Ming Dynasty, Collection of The National Palace Museum.

Compare also to three other examples decorated with panels similar to the present lot. The first is illustrated in Ye Peilan, Yuandai ciqi, Beijing, 1998, p. 259, pl. 446 and in Sekai Toji Zenshu, Shogakukan Series, vol. 13, Japan, 1981, p. 181, pl. 150. The other two are in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, and illustrated in Green-Longquan Celadon of the Ming Dynasty, Taipei, 2009, pp. 148-151, pls. 75 and 76.

Celadon Zun Vessel in the Style of Pomegranate, Longquan Ware, Ming dynasty (1368-1644). © The Palace Museum, Taipei. 

Another example with a carved rather than moulded primary decorative band was sold on two occasions, the first at Christie's Hong Kong, 29 May 2007, lot 1472, and most recently at Christie's Hong Kong, 31 May 2017, lot 3009 from the Roger Belanich Collection of Longquan Celadon Ceramics. 

From the Roger Belanich Collection of Longquan Celadon Ceramics. An important and extremely rare Longquan celadon pomegranate-form vase, shiliu zun, Ming dynasty, 14th-early 15th century; 14 ¼ in. (36 cm.) high. Sold for 3,900,000 HKD at Christie's Hong Kong, 31 May 2017, lot 3009. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

Cf. my post: The Roger Belanich Collection of Longquan Celadon Ceramics at Christie's Hong Kong 31 May 2017