A 'CIZHOU' PAINTED MEIPING YUAN DYNASTY

the elongated body with high shoulders boldly painted with a foliate scroll above a cross-hatched background, set between triple line borders, the main band of decoration painted with diamond-like panels enclosing a phoenix with outstretched wings amidst clouds and a crane amongst leafy stems bearing a chrysanthemum blossom, and two fast meanders near the foot, all painted in mottled brown on a cream ground beneath a clear glaze with fine crackle, the recessed base unglazed showing the buff ware

Sotheby's New York, 25th May 1944, lot 345.
Yamanaka & Co., New York.
Collection of Mildred R. and Rafi Y. Mottahedeh.
Sotheby's New York, 20th September 2000, lot 96.

The Animal in Chinese Art, Oriental Ceramic Society, London, 1968, no. 439, pl. 13, fig. B.

This rare vase is in good overall condition with the exception of a 7 x 5mm., glaze flake to the shoulder, a 10 x 5mm., glaze flake and associated hairline glaze line around the base of the neck, a 15cm., long Y-shaped hairline glaze line running up from the foot, a 4 x 1.5cm., shallow flake to the edge of the foot, three (3, 4 and 5cmm., long) hairline glaze lines running up from the foot, minor flakes and frits to the glaze around the bottom edge of the body and foot ring, flaking to the brown slip arond the mouth rim, a very slightly uneven lean to one side, minor glaze firing imperfections and light surface scratches.
"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."

See a meiping formerly in the Howard Hollis collection and included in the exhibition Chinese Ceramics from the Prehistoric Period through Ch'ien-Lung. A Loan Exhibition from Collections in America and Japan, Los Angeles County Museum, Los Angeles, 1952, cat. no. 216; another 'Cizhou' vase of this type boldly painted in dark brown with an animated dragon amidst spiral clouds, sold in our New York rooms, 18^th September 1996, lot 184; and a third example, painted with figures, from the collection of Gustaf Hillestrom and included in the exhibition Kina som Hobby, Ostasiatiska Museet, Stockholm, 1968, cat. no. 27b, sold in these rooms, 16 December 1980, lot 533.

The bird and flower motif can be found on a 'Cizhou' guan jar from the collection of Thos. Barlow Walker, sold in our New York rooms, 26^th September 1972, lot 696. Compare also a jar painted with phoenix, excavated from the ruins of the Yuan capital Dadu, modern Beijing, included in the exhibition Archaeological Treasures Excavated in the People's Republic of China, Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, 1973, cat. no. 228.