Page 232 - Important Chinese Art Hong Kong April 2, 2019 Sotheby's

3659

PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
明天順 甜白釉暗花高足盌
AN EXTREMELY RARE ANHUA-DECORATED 《天順年造》款
WHITE-GLAZED STEM CUP
MARK AND PERIOD OF TIANSHUN 來源：
well potted with deep rounded sides rising to a slightly 吳賚熙（1881-1951年）收藏
everted rim, all supported on a tapering hollow cylindrical 喬治．尤莫弗普勒斯（1863-1939年）收藏
stem, the exterior decorated in anhua with an elephant, a lion Peter Boode（1887-1972年）收藏
and a galloping horse, the centre of the interior incised with a 倫敦蘇富比1960年7月12日，編號115
four-character reign mark within a double circle 倫敦蘇富比1977年7月5日，編號191
13.8 cm, 5⅜ in.
倫敦蘇富比1981年4月7日，編號251
PROVENANCE 倫敦佳士得1982年6月14日，編號101
Collection of Wu Lai-hsi (1881-1951). 出版：
Collection of George Eumorfopoulos (1863-1939). Soame Jenyns，《Ming Pottery and Porcelain》，倫
Collection of Peter Boode (1887-1972). 敦，1953年，頁78-9
Sotheby’s London, 12th July 1960, lot 115.
Sotheby’s London, 5th July 1977, lot 191.
Sotheby’s London, 7th April 1981, lot 251.
Christie’s London, 14th June 1982, lot 101.
LITERATURE
Soame Jenyns, Ming Pottery and Porcelain, London, 1953,
pp. 78-9.

HK$ 400,000-600,000
US$ 51,000-76,500

This extraordinary stem cup appears to be unique, the The stem cup has had an eventful auction history. When it
only recorded Tianshun reign-marked porcelain vessel. appeared for the first time at auction in July 1960, it sold
Emanating from the legendary collection of Wu Lai-hsi, it was for the princely sum of £2,600, rising to £12,000 in 1977.
later in the collections of George Eumorfopoulos and Peter The next time it appeared in 1981, there was some doubt
Boode, and discussed in Soame Jenyns, Ming Pottery and over it, and it was catalogued as 15th century with a later
Porcelain, London, 1953, pp. 78-9, where the author notes: added mark. However, the following year it was accepted
again as mark and period. Clearly the mark is under the
“There is in the possession of Mr Peter Boode an glaze, which is consistent with the vessel, and the form and
interesting white stem cup which was originally sent to the structure is completely distinct from early 15th century stem
Eumorfopoulos Collection by Wu Lai-hsi. This piece has a
bluish-white glaze turning faintly yellow at the footrim. The cups of the Yongle and Xuande period. Furthermore, the
unglazed flat base of the hollow stem shows a paste that eccentric design of galloping winged horses and elephants
corresponds closely to those found on Chenghua tian jars
has been discoloured by firing. The outside of this stem created several years later, such as the one sold in our
cup is decorated with an elephant, a lion and a horse, in
delicately drawn white slip; on the inside of the bowl is the London rooms, 14th November 2001, lot 102, strengthening
incised mark of T’ien Shun. If this piece is a genuine example the case that this extremely rare stem cup is in fact a
unique product of the Interregnum period, where ongoing
of the imperial ware of this period it would according to the excavations continue to transform our knowledge of this
records of Kiangsi have been made between the ting chao
year of T’ien Shun, which was 1457 when the manufacture relatively unexplored period of Chinese ceramics.
of imperial porcelain is said to have been resumed, and the
emperor’s death in 1464.”

Mark

230 SOTHEBY ’S IMPORTANT CHINESE ART