A RARE SMALL BLUE AND WHITE QUATRELOBED 'FOUR IMMORTALS' JAR MING DYNASTY, JIAJING MARK AND PERIOD

of quatrelobed section with swelling shoulders and a petite upright neck, painted in deep cobalt blue with four Daoist Immortals Li Tieguai, Liu Hai, Hanshan and Shide, among pine trees and rockwork, below a scrolling cloud border at the shoulder and ruyi-clouds on the neck, two Japanese boxes (3)

Overall good condition. There are three very minor slice chips to the underside edge of the footrim, and some very small glaze pulls and one very minor shallow glaze chip/flake on the upper rim edge, one pull approx ¼ inch long, the glaze chip approx ½ inch long. There are some very minor, very small nibbles on the glaze on the inner rim edge. There are some very fine light scratches to the glaze overall, consistent with age. The body is not as white as in the catalogue photo.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

For a small Jiajing jar of ovoid form also decorated with the Four Immortals, but portrayed in a different stylistic manner and with shou characters, compare one in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (I), Shanghai, 2000, pl. 99.

A closely related jar of this unusual design, depicting the Four Immortals Honoring the God of Longevity, from the Riesco collection, was included in the Oriental Ceramic Society exhibition Chinese Blue and White Porcelain, Arts Council Gallery, London, 1954, cat. no. 163; another example was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 28th November 1979, lot 97.