A RARE RUBY-RED GLAZED CUP MARK AND PERIOD OF YONGZHENG

finely potted with rounded thin sides springing from a small footrim,  covered overall on the exterior with a rich, ruby-coloured glaze, the interior glazed white, the mark inscribed in four characters with a double square on the base

Sotheby's Hong Kong, 3rd May 1994, lot 99.

Chinese Art from the Ching Wan Society Collections II, Chang Foundation, Taipei, 1998, cat. no. 45.

The Leshantang Collection of Chinese Porcelain, Taipei, 2005, cat.no. 41. 

Apart from a minute flake to the footrim with traces of pink enamel, the overall condition is very good. The actual colour of the bowl is quite close to the colour depicted in the catalogue.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

It is rare to find a ruby-glazed cup of such small size and with a Yongzheng four-character reign mark, although one slightly larger cup with an apocryphal Chenghua mark, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, was included in the Special Exhibition of Ch'eng-hua Porcelain, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1976, cat. no. 155; and a pair was sold at Christie's London, 14^th July 1980, lot 286. Compare also shallower ruby-red glazed cups with six character Yongzheng marks such as a pair published in The Tsui Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1991, pl. 126; and another illustrated in Shoudu Bowuguan cangci xuan, Beijing, 1991, pl. 147, in the Capital Museum, Beijing.