A FINE AND RARE WUCAI BRUSH HANDLE MING DYNASTY, WANLI PERIOD

the bulblous body with a long cylindrical handle surmounted with a pointed knop, the sides painted with two dragons, one blue and one red, both in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl' amidst scattered scrolling clouds above crashing waves and tall rocks on the rim, all below a band of underglaze-blue ruyi-heads and a row of scrolling clouds, the top painted with four floral sprays surrounding the knop further decorated with a single floret

Collection of Dr. Carl Kempe (1884-1967).
Eskenazi Ltd., London, 1993.

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. 135.

Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Ceramics in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1964, no. 852.
Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994-2010, vol. 2, no. 708.

There is a 2 mm glaze chip on the top of the handle with an attendant horizontal glaze crack (slightly visible in the image on the right showing the red dragon). There is light wear to the iron-red enamelling, but otherwise 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."

Wucai brush handles are extremely rare. A related piece of Wanli mark and period in the National Palace Museum, Taiwan, is published in Minji meihin zuroku. Kaiseiyō, Ryukeiyō, Manrekiyō [Illustrated catalogue of important Ming porcelains. Jiajing, Longqing and Wanli wares], Tokyo, 1978, pl. 109; and two unmarked blue-and-white brush handles of similar shape and date are in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Lu Minghua, Shanghai Bowuguan zangpin yanjiu daxi/Studies of the Shanghai Museum Collections : A Series of Monographs. Mingdai guanyao ciqi [Ming imperial porcelain], Shanghai, 2007, pls. 1-87 and 1-88.