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stem cup, was excavated in 1993 (illustrated ibid., p. 50, no. 46-1) (fig. 5) . These two
excavated stem cups have different profiles and different diameters – the example
numbered 46-2 being closest to the current stem cup. It is clear why these excavated
stem cups were rejected; in both cases the troublesome copper red has faded to grey
towards the edges of the fish motifs. The problem of successfully firing the copper red
probably explains why stem cups with three red fish produced using iron red enamel
have also been found at Zhushan. One such stem cup, excavated in 1988 is illustrated
in Xuande Imperial Porcelain excavated at Jingdezhen, op. cit., p. 52, no. 48-1 (fig. 6). While
it appears that the pigment for the copper red fish were applied by blowing the copper
oxide through a tube and the stencil onto the surface of the vessel, the overglaze enamel
used for the iron red fish was painted onto the surface of the glaze – the brush marks
can clearly be seen. While this latter technique was perfectly adequate, it fails to achieve
fig. 3 Collection of Sir Percival David, the smooth, subtle, elegance of the copper red fish. The excavations at the Xuande
currently on loan to the British Museum
© The Trustees of the British Museum imperial kilns also revealed stem cups decorated with iron-brown fish, such as the
எӲ ഌ⣠ᇪఫ㞖ᝯ⻦৅卿→࠾࢝ʚɽߵ௹ي᎜
example illustrated ibid., p. 51, no. 47-1. The effect of the dark brown is quite dramatic,
but again the brush marks can clearly be seen.

The stem cup shape with deep bowl and relatively smaller diameter, like the current
example, is particularly rare among Xuande copper red decorated stem cups and the
only other published example of similar size and fish decoration appears to be that in
the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, which is illustrated in Catalogue
of the Special Exhibition of Selected Hsüan-te Imperial Porcelains of the Ming Dynasty, Taipei,
1998, pp. 228-9, no. 87 (fig. 7). Interestingly, the National Palace Museum also has in
its collection one of the Xuande three fish stem bowls decorated in overglaze iron red
(illustrated ibid., pp 218-9)(fig. 8). A somewhat smaller stem bowl of similar profile
to the current vessel, decorated with three copper red fish, which was formerly in the
possession of the American collector Allen J. Mercher, entered the collection of the
Chang Foundation, Taipei in 1983 and is illustrated in by James Spencer in Selected
Chinese Ceramics from Han to Qing Dynasties, Taipei, 1990, pp. 218-219, no. 90.
fig. 4 Collection of the Jingdezhen
Ceramics Institute
எ୨ ᜀᇪ㤯Ⴊ㪃≢Ⓔ♾Ꮢ⻦৅ Xuande imperial stem cups decorated with three fish in copper red, such as the
current vessel, would have been rare treasures even in the Xuande reign itself, and
they continued to be revered throughout the Ming and into the Qing dynasty. It is
significant that what is clearly a Xuande copper red fish stem cup – of the same deep-
bowled shape as the current stem cup – is among the imperial treasures depicted on a
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long handscroll, dated by inscription to the 6 year of the Yongzheng reign (equivalent
to AD 1728), entitled Guwan tu ऒ⅊எ Pictures of Ancient Playthings, from the collection
of Sir Percival David (illustrated in China – The Three Emperors 1662-1795, E.S.
Rawski and J. Rawson eds., London, 2005, p. 252, no. 168, upper row, left-hand side).
Interestingly, the stem cup is depicted in a stand which cradled its stem and prevented it
being accidentally knocked over, or falling over in an earthquake – further evidence of
the value placed upon it by its imperial owner.

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In addition to its original 15 century imperial owner – the Xuande Emperor – the
current stem cup has an extremely well-documented and prestigious provenance in the
fig. 5 Collection of the Jingdezhen
st
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Ceramics Institute 20 and 21 centuries. It was sold by Sotheby’s London in November 1954; sold again
எՆ ᜀᇪ㤯Ⴊ㪃≢Ⓔ♾Ꮢ⻦৅
by Christie’s London in December 1975; entered the collection of the famous Shanghai
collector E. T. Chow; was sold by Sotheby’s Hong Kong in November 1980; entered
the possession of another famous collector T. Y. Chao; and was subsequently sold by
Sotheby’s Hong Kong in November 1986 and April 2006.

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