Page 88 - Bonhams Chinese Art London May 2013

58A The inspiration for this type of two-handled vase can be traced back
A rare green, aubergine and yellow-glazed elephant-head- to Yuan Dynasty blue and white vases, such as the famous elephant-
handled baluster vase handled ‘David vases’ dated to 1351 in the Sir Percival David Foundation
Mid 16th century of Chinese Art and on loan to the British Museum; see S.Pierson,
Rising from a foot glazed and incised with a row of stiff lappets beneath Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 2002, p.58, no.38.
a band of yellow ruyi head each capped by an aubergine circle, the A Ming Dynasty prototype but with floral scrolls, Zhengde mark and
bulbous body covered in a green glaze with a further band of pendent of the period, in the Mayuyama & Co. Ltd., Collection, is illustrated in
ruyi heads and circles at the shoulder, the flaring neck flanked by two Mayuyama, Seventy Years, Vol.One, Japan, 1976, p.269, no.81.
elephant-head handles with yellow tusks and carefully detailed in iron-
red, all beneath a narrow rib below stiff lappets at the mouth. Compare also two related baluster vases from the 16th century, but with
37.4cm (14 3/4in) high their necks reduced, one with shou roundels and dated 1555 illustrated
£15,000-20,000 by D.Lion-Goldschmidt, Ming Porcelain, London, 1978, no.150, and
HK$180,000 - 240,000 CNY140,000 - 190,000 another decorated with lotus scroll in the fahua technique illustrated by
J.Harrison-Hall, Ming Ceramics in the British Museum, London, 2001,
十六世紀中期 綠地素三彩雙象耳鳳尾尊 no.9:113.

A closely-related vase but with a turquoise-ground body, formerly
in the Parrish-Watson Collection, the Walter Blumenthal Collection,
the Bernard Gimbel Collection and the Warren E.Cox Collection, and
illustrated by W.Cox, The Book of Pottery and Porcelain, Vol.I, pl.137,
was sold at Christie’s New York, 22 March 1999, lot 287.

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