Page 41 - Bonhams May 11th 2017 London Fine Chinese Art

McLaren collection; image courtesy of Eskenazi Ltd., London Phillips London, 9 June 2000, lot 234

Sir Harry Garner, Chinese and Japanese Cloisonné Enamels, London, Phillips London, 9 June 2000, lot 234 (mark)
1962, pp.53-54, wrote that ‘the cloisonne dish [cup stand] has a six-
character Hsuan-te mark incised on the base, the incision being filled
in with dark blue enamel. The presence of the enamel makes it certain
that the mark is contemporary with the piece.’

Furthermore, images of incised and blue-enamelled cup stands all
show the same structural characteristic of the four pins visible at the
base around the mark securing the upper boss to the dish.

However, even within the ten-year reign of the Xuande emperor,
the quality of the enamels could vary significantly; see for example
a cloisonné enamel stem cup, early Ming dynasty, illustrated in the
Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Enamels, 1,
Beijing, 2010, p.120, which shows a similar floral design to that found
on the present lot.

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