A SUPERB BLUE AND WHITE 'ARROW' VASE MING DYNASTY, XUANDE PERIOD

finely potted,  the ovoid body with broad shoulders tapering to a slightly splayed foot, set with a cylindrical neck and a slightly flared mouth, flanked by a pair of small tubular lug handles, the body painted in rich cobalt blue with characteristic 'heaping and piling' with a broad band of a continuous foliate scroll, the ends of the scroll terminating in trefoil leaves, set between pendant and upright plantain leaves collaring the base of the neck and skirting the foot, the neck shrouded with a dense wave pattern, interrupted around the middle with a key-fret band extending to the handles painted in a paler wash of cobalt, the countersunk base set with a stepped foot

The overall condition is very good with only a minor 1cm old shallow chip to the foot.
"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 Xuande vases of this form and decoration, although a similar example is illustrated in Sekai toji zenshu, vol. 11, Tokyo, 1955, pl. 70; another in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, was included in the Museum's Special Exhibition of Hsuan-Te Wares, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1980, cat. no. 8; and a third vase, from the Qing Court collection and still in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is included in Gugong Bowuyuan cang Ming chu qinghua ci, vol. 1, Beijing, 2002, pl. 82.

A very similar vase, with a Xuande reign mark and of the period, was sold in our New York rooms, 2nd November 1979, lot 307, and again, in these rooms, 23rd May 1978, lot 40.

The Xuande vase in the Imperial Palace was much treasured by the Yongzheng emperor who had it recorded in the pictorial scroll catalogue Guwan tu (Scroll of Antiquities), vol. VI, dated to the sixth year of his reign (equivalent to AD1729). The Guwan tu was later presented by the Empress Dowager Cixi to Colonel A.H. Moorhead, I.M.S., and sold in our London rooms, 19th May 1939, lot 62. 

A similar scroll pattern also appears as the principal decoration of a smaller 'stepped base' vase with a Xuande reign mark and of the period, from the Garner collection, included in the Exhibition of Chinese Art, Palazzo Ducale, Venice, 1954, cat. no. 653, and sold in our London rooms, 8th July 1974, lot 194; and on a Xuande covered bowl, in the National Palace Museum, published in Blue and White Ware of the Ming Dynasty, Book II (Part 2), Hong Kong, 1963, pl. 34.  

The form of this vase is possibly inspired by archaic bronze vessels used for touhu, a 'pitch-pot' game. Touhu was usually a contest between players, who had to throw arrows into the mouth or tubular handles of the vase, which was placed at an equal distance between two mats on which the players knelt. Touhu or 'arrow-form' vases continued to be produced in the Song dynasty and later, made in a number of materials including bronze, cloisonne and ceramic. For example, see a 'Longquan' celadon vase, formerly in the Idemitsu Museum of Arts, Tokyo, and now in the Meiyintang collection, illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 3 (II), London, 2006, pl. 1569; and another in the Percival David Foundation, London, published in Oriental Ceramics. The World's Great Collections, vol. 6, Tokyo, 1982, pl. 54.