A 'CIZHOU' PAINTED 'DRAGON AND PHOENIX' MEIPING JIN DYNASTY

the round shouldered tapering body rising from a recessed spreading base to a narrow neck and angled rim, freely painted in dark brown on a creamy-white ground with two large cusped panels, one enclosing a scaly dragon within cloud whorls, the other with a phoenix in flight, all between a leafy foliate scroll at the shoulder and simple scroll bands at the base, Japanese wood box

Collection of Howard Hollis.
Sotheby's New York, 18th September 1996, lot 184.

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.

The meiping has restoration to a break at the neck, a 4.5 and 6cm., glaze line running up from the foot, two chips (2 and 1.5cm.) to the bottom edge of the foot, several small glaze chips around the bottom edge of the foot, minor glaze firing imperfections around the body and some light and minor glaze 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."

A meiping painted with birds in cartouches and with a similar floral motif on the shoulder, from the collection of Milfred R. and Rafi Y. Mottahedeh, included in the Oriental Ceramic Society exhibition The Animal in Chinese Art, London, 1968, cat. no. 439, was sold twice in our New York rooms, 25th May 1944, lot 345, and 20th September 2000, lot 96, and again in these rooms, 12th May 2010, lot 54.

Related designs of phoenix and dragons in cartouches are more commonly found on guan jars, such as one in the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, included in the exhibition Freedom of Clay and Brush. Tz’u-chou Type Wares, The Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, 1980, cat. no. 93; two sold in our London rooms, the first, 5th July 1977, lot 140, and the second, 7th December 1993, lot 174; and another sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 18th May 1982, lot 83. See also a jar painted with phoenix, excavated from the ruins of the Yun capital Dadu, included in the exhibition Archaeological Treasures Excavated in the People’s Republic of China, Tokyo National Museum, 1973, cat. no. 228.