Lot 31. A blue and white 'Monkeys, Deer and Horses' circular box and cover, Ming dynasty, Wanli period (1573-1619). Hauteur : 15,7 cm, Diamètre : 22,4 cm, boîte en bois japonaise. Vendu : EUR 18,900 (Estimation : EUR 15,000 – EUR 20,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2023

Provenance: Formerly in the Takayanagi collection, Japan, with old Japanese wood box with drawing and description.

Exhibition: Included by Marchant in their exhibition of Imperial Chinese Porcelain, Ceramics & Works of Art, 2013, no. 5, pp. 12-13.

Note: A similar porcelain box and cover is illustrated in Blue and white Porcelain with Underglaze Red (II), The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Beijing, pl. 180, p. 193; another is illustrated by Jan Fontein in The World’s Great Collections Oriental Ceramics, vol. 10, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, monochrome, pl. 236.
Deer, lu, bird, que, monkey, hou and bees, feng, form the rebus, juelu feng hou ‘May you receive high rank and emolument’.