A RARE WUCAI 'EIGHT SOUNDS' JAR MARK AND PERIOD OF JIAJING

of ovoid form rising from a recessed base to a short tapered neck, vividly painted in pale blue, aubergine, red, green and yellow enamels with a garland of six quatrefoil panels enclosing alternating ascending phoenix and swooping cranes, reserved on a ground of twelve beribonned musical instruments representing the 'Eight Sounds' (bayin) interspersed with leafy flower sprigs, all between borders of multi-coloured clouds encircling the rim and base, the latter inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark within double circles

There is a 1.1 x 0.5 cm flake restored at the rim, some rubbing to the enamels as visible in the photo, but overall the jar is in good condition.
"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."

A jar of this form, size and decoration, bequeathed by Harry Oppenheim and now in the British Museum, London, is illustrated in Jessica Harrison-Hall, Ming Ceramics, London, 2001, where on p. 262 the author lists the names of the twelve musical instruments painted on the jar and explains their significance to the Ming court and to professional scholars at the time. The twelve instruments represent the bayin or the ‘eight sounds’ that played an important part in ritual ceremonies as well as being used for entertaining the emperor and his family.  Another similar jar, from the Jingguantang collection, was sold at Christie’s New York, 16^th September 1998, lot 363.

See a larger Jiajing jar painted in polychrome enamels with a similar design but the birds depicted flying freely amongst auspicious emblems, clouds and floral sprays without the quatrefoil panels, in the collection of the Idemitsu Museum of Arts, Tokyo, published in Chūgoku no tōji, vol. 9, Tokyo, 1996, pl. 29. While the decoration seen on this piece appears on polychrome enamelled wares, similar quatrefoil panels painted with the phoenix and crane motif may be found on contemporaneous blue and white examples, such as the jar illustrated in the Minji meihin zūroku, vol. III, Tokyo, 1978, pl. 9.