A RARE PAIR OF LEMON-YELLOW CUPS MARKS AND PERIOD OF YONGZHENG

each delicately thrown with translucent sides of deep conical shape resting on a straight foot, covered on the exterior with a vibrant lemon-yellow enamel, the interior and base left white, the base further inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark within a single ring

Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London (A 567b and d).
Sotheby's London, 15th October 1968, lot 129.

Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, The British Museum, London, 1994.
Evolution to Perfection. Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection/ Evolution vers la perfection. Céramiques de Chine de la Collection Meiyintang, Sporting d'Hiver, Monte Carlo, 1996, cat. no. 190.

Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994-2010, vol. 2, no. 908.

There is a 1 cm hairline crack on the rim of one cup. The other one has 2 hairlines right next to each other, approximately 1.5 and 0.8 cm in length. The enamels on both cups are in very good condition. The actual colours are quite close to the catalogue illustration.
"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."

Out of four lemon-yellow cups of this form of Yongzheng mark and period in the Sir Percival David Collection, one pair (the present cups) was sold at Sotheby's in 1968 (nos. A 567 b and d), and a second pair (nos. A 567 a and c) still remains in the British Museum, London, today. The latter pair is recorded in the Illustrated Catalogue of Ming and Qing Monochrome Wares in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, rev. ed., London, 1989, p. 39, and illustrated in John Ayers and Satō Masahiko, eds, Sekai tōji zenshū / Ceramic Art of the World, vol. XV: Shin/ Ch'ing Dynasty, Tokyo, 1983, col. pl. 292; one of another pair of cups is illustrated in John Ayers, Chinese Ceramics in the Baur Collection, Geneva, 1999, vol. II, pl. 331; and a single cup of this design from the Jingguantang collection was sold at Christie's New York, 20th March 1997, lot 101.