元 青花穿蓮祥鳳纏枝牡丹紋獸耳罐

圓腹，腹下斜收至足，溜肩貼二獸面舖首，束頸（後作）上飾凸弦紋一周。肩繪青花穿蓮祥鳳，下有纏枝牡丹，紋樣繁密豐富。器頸且添纏枝菊紋及雜寶，後者以下垂蓮瓣紋框之，而近足處則輔飾變形仰蓮紋。口綴卷草與水波。器底無釉，矮圈足，胎白帶淡橘色。

倫敦蘇富比1987年12月15日，編號141

《Evolution to Perfection, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection》，Sporting d’Hiver，蒙地卡羅，1996年，編號102

康蕊君，《玫茵堂中國陶瓷》，倫敦，1994-2010年，卷2，編號640

The section of the neck above the auspicious emblems is replaced. There is a 12 cm crack running from the neck to the shoulder. The edges of the lion masks have some fritting and flakes, with a chip of 1.5 x 0.3 cm to one ear, unrestored but covered with blue paint. There is a six-pronged star crack under the base, one prong extending on approx. 15 cm. on the side of the vase. There is a yellowing glaze crack along the luting line around the vase, formerly secured with staples.
"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."

此類大罐多屬出口外銷瓷，然從考古發掘器例可見，中國本土也有使用。一件罐例，與本品極為相近，只以雲龍取代本品之祥鳳紋，保有原蓋，兩側舖首銜銅環，為1980年江西省高安市錦江南坡元代中晚期瓷器窖藏出土，此罐經多次出版著錄，如《高安元代窖藏瓷器》，北京，2006年，頁46-7；亦見於近期上海博物館展覽《幽藍神采：元代青花瓷器特集》，上海，2012年，編號58，並作為是次展覽研討會論文集《元代青花瓷器國際學術研討會論文稿》，上海，2012年，封面。

一件相若蓋罐，肩部飾雜寶蓮瓣紋一周，無串枝花卉紋帶，肩下畫穿菊祥鳳紋，售於倫敦佳士得2004年6月8日，編號468；另有一件鳳穿菊花紋獸耳罐，上海博物館藏，肩部僅繪纏枝蓮紋，載於近期上海博物館展覽目錄，2012年，前述出處，編號8。

此類大罐，近似器例也見有明代墓葬出土物，可知其於明代仍備受推崇，例如，一件纏枝牡丹紋獸耳蓋罐，1973年安徽省蚌埠市東郊曹山南坡明洪武二十八年（1395年）湯和墓出土，現藏蚌埠市博物館，錄於上海博物館展覽目錄，2012年，前述出處，編號64；另有一例，出土於江蘇省淮安市楚州區季橋鄉顏劉村鳳凰墩明成化六年（1470年）陶升夫婦合葬墓，現存江蘇省淮安市楚州區博物館，載於《中國出土瓷器全集》，北京，2008年，卷7，圖版164。