明洪武 釉裏紅花卉紋菱花式盃 連 釉裏紅纏枝壽菊紋菱口盞托

the cup with flutted rounded sides rising from a recessed slighly domed base and short footring to a barbed rim divided into eight bracket foliations, brightly painted in rich tones of copper red, the interior with a spray of chrysanthemum within double circles and eight detached composite floral sprays around the cavetto repeated on the exterior, all below a border of 'classic' scrolls on the interior and exterior rim, the base left unglazed and burnt orange in the firing, the stand of conforming lobed octafoil form with shallow rounded sides rising to a barbed everted rim, moulded on the interior with a central cup-holder and around the exterior with crisp radiating ridges dividing the lobes, finely decorated overall in soft tones of copper-red, the slightly recessed centre with a radiating ruyi-head motif encircled by a raised bevelled border picked out with small lappets, surrounded by a band of chrysanthemum scroll within double lines and eight varieties of lotus sprigs around the cavetto, the rim detailed with a 'classic' scroll and key-fret on its outer edge, the exterior painted with petal lappets on each lobe, the recessed base and short footring left unglazed and burnt to pale orange

Both the cup and the stand are damaged and restored. Graphics of the actual of the actual damage are available from the department upon request. The cup appears to be broken in at least six pieces, including a break that runs vertically across it or in C shape from the rim. A smaller area is restored with light touch-up and repaint. Some if the breaks are stabilised now with a few larger triangular fakes filled. The cupstand is broken in four or five pieces and restuck with some minor loss between filled and repaint. The areas of overpaint appear as darker red, as seen in the photo.
"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."

洪武釉裏紅器，相較其他明瓷已屬少見，然盞托仍配原盃者，更為稀罕至極。同類盞托，多見各大博物館及私人收藏。可參考一例，藏上海博物館，錄於汪慶正，《青花釉里紅》，香港，1993年，圖版41。另見一例，曾售香港蘇富比1992年10月27日，編號30。再見一例，大阪萬野美術館收藏，售於香港佳士得2002年10月28日，編號528。亦可參考一例，紋飾近似，中心飾折枝花卉，玫茵堂收藏，曾售香港蘇富比2011年4月7日，編號44。另比一例，飾纏枝牡丹，中心繪如意紋，藏倫敦大英博物館，載於Jessica Harrison-Hall，《Ming Ceramics in the British Museum》，倫敦，圖版2:8；書中記，本類盞托，形制鑒自銀器，見頁89。再參考一青花盞托連盃例，殘件，展於《景德鎮出土明初官窰瓷器》，鴻禧美術館，台北，1996年，圖版17及18。

明代洪武較之元朝，多以銅紅飾瓷，或因政治、貿易等原因，鈷料供應不足所致。雖釉裏紅器存世頗多，然因銅紅嬌溫，正色佳品者尤為難得。