Lot 1736. A fine and rare Ming blue and white fruit bowl, Xuande six-character sealmark and of the period (1426-1435); 11 3/8 in. (28.9 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 4,000,000 - HKD 5,000,000. Price realised HKD 6,935,500. © Christie's Image Ltd 2007

The sturdily potted shallow rounded sides finely painted to the exterior in strong cobalt blue tones with a continuous band of lingzhi fungus borne on an undulating vine, growing leaves to the sides, all under double-lines below the mouth rim and lappet bands above the foot, supported on a short foot ring decorated with scroll motifs, box.

Note: Previously sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 21 May, 1985, lot 85.

A bowl of this pattern in Beijing Palace Museum, is illustrated in Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (I), The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 2000, p.156 (see fig.1); one in the National Palace Museum, Taipei is illustrated in the Catalogue of the Special Exhibition of Selected Hsuan-te Imperial Procelains of the Ming Dynasty, p.144 (see fig.2); another bowl of the same pattern from the Lauritzen Collection is illustrated in Oriental Ceramics, The World's Great Collections, vol. 9, Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm, 1982, no. 220..