A White Anhua Lotus Double-Gourd Vase Ming Dynasty, 16th Century

well potted of double-gourd form with a compressed globular bulb surmounted by an upper bulb sweeping up to a tapered mouthrim, the body incised with a fine anhua decoration and covered in a transparent glaze, the lower body incised with a band of wide petal lappets encircling the foot, below a band of floral scroll issuing leafy tendrils and various blossoming flowers including lotus, all below a 'classic' scroll band under the waist, the upper bulb similarly incised with a floral scroll band below a foliate scroll band depicting ruyi-shaped leaves, the neck encircled with a lappet of upright leaves

Sotheby's London, 14th December 1971, lot 143.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 21st May 1979, lot 70.
Collection of T.Y. Chao.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 18th November 1986, lot 70.                                                                Christie's New York, 1st June 1990, lot 172.

The vase is of generally good condition except for a few firing glaze hairlines on the body: two stained lines (each of 1 cm) underneath the mouth rim, and about six other clean lines( length from 1 to 4 cm) at the lower body, along the joint, where an associated firing crack/fissure of 2.5 cm running vertically down. A stained firing line of around 7 cm in length, in a flattened 'M' shape, runs along the joint between the upper and lower bodies, (partly visible in the illustration). There is also a firing fissure of 1 cm length to the interior wall of the upper body, but not visible on the outside. There are a few minute kiln flakes to the unglazed bottom, where a few short glaze hairlines radiate upwards.
"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 slightly larger vase of this type was sold in our London rooms, 10th November 2004, lot 559. For the possible origin of this style of decoration see an ewer attributed to the early 15th century, illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum. Istanbul, vol. 2, London, 1986, pl. 634; and another published in Denise Patry Leidy, Treasures of Asian Art. The Asia Society’s Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, New York, 1994, pl. 171.