A LARGE BLUE AND WHITE 'DRAGON' JAR MARK AND PERIOD OF JIAJING

the robustly-potted body of ovoid form, painted around the exterior in dark cobalt-blue tones with two large sinuous five-clawed dragon in pursuit of a flaming pearl, all amidst fire and cloud scrolls above tumultuous foaming waves and divided by two large rocks issuing lingzhi forming endless knot 'long life symbols', all between a ruyi-head band at the base and a lotus scroll band encircling the short waisted neck

Christie's London, 14th July 1980, lot 186

This large and rare jar is in very good overall condition with the exception of some minor glaze firing imperfections, including small iron-spots, blisters, a 2 x 1cm., a 5mm. diam., and several smaller burst glaze bubbles, a line of glaze pulls encircling the neck and scattered pin-head sized glaze pulls all around the neck, a 12mm., long firing line to the rim, a 9cm., firing line to the interior of the base and glaze scratches predominantly around the shoulder. It should be noted that the cobalt-blue is of a stronger tone than the catalogue illustration would suggest.
"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."

The present Jiajing jar is most impressive for its large size and bold design of a pair of ferocious dragons. A similar jar with a cover excavated in the outskirts of Beijing and now in the Capital Museum, Beijing, is published in Zhongguo taoci quanji, vol. 12, Shanghai, 2000, pl. 163. Other comparable examples can be found in museums and private collections. See one illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (II), Shanghai, 2000, pl. 96, with a cover; in Rene-Yvon Lefebvre d'Argence, Chinese Ceramics in the Avery Brundage Collection, Berkeley, 1967, pl. LIV; and in John Ayers, Chinese Ceramics in the Baur Collection, vol. 1, Geneva, 1999, pl. 73.

Compare also a jar sold in these rooms, 12^th July, 2006, lot 65; another, from the Toguri Museum, Tokyo, sold in these rooms, 9^th June 2004, lot 29, together with a cover; a third sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 1^st January 1999, lot 321; and a fourth example sold in these rooms, 2^nd March 1971, lot 158.