明永樂 甜白釉暗刻石榴花果紋玉壺春瓶

elegantly potted with a pear-shaped body supported on a splayed foot, gracefully rising to a tall waisted neck flaring at the rim, finely incised with meandering branches of flowering and fruiting pomegranates, the fruits with dimpled skin and bursting with succulent seeds, all above a band of stylised lingzhi lappets, the neck decorated with a wide band of classic scroll between ruyi heads and quadruple line borders, skirted with a band of interlocking wan symbols at the foot, applied overall with an unctuous ‘sweet-white’ glaze

H.R.N. Norton(卒 1961/62年)收藏
倫敦蘇富比1963年3月26日，編號56 (£3800)
Bluett's & Sons Ltd，倫敦，1963年 (£3800)
羅傑琵金頓(1928-69年)收藏，自1963年 (£3800)

Adrian Joseph，《Ming Porcelains. Their Origins and Development》，倫敦，1971年，圖版94

Good condition except for an original firing body hairline of approx. 7 cm running along the joint of the foot and the main body.
"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."

白釉瓷，以明朝永樂年江西景德鎮御窰為上佳，而本品精巧，冠絕一時。永樂帝深崇佛教儀式，而白彩則乃儀式中最重要之色，白釉瓷更特為永樂帝所喜，青花瓷之流行反而進展甚緩。故此，比諸歷代各朝，永樂御匠更不惜心力，精心研製白釉釉方，以盡求善美。永樂白釉瓷，並非僅為光素無紋飾之瓷器。青花瓷講求白釉清澈素白，幾近透明，方為上品，映襯青花之美。單色白釉，則著重白釉美感。

永樂白釉，溫澤柔和，凝潤光亮，僅見於此類器，釉稱「甜白」，豐厚甜膩，巧奪天工。此類器多刻紋飾，唯因釉色凝白，刻花易被遮蓋，甚至完全隱沒，本品則無此弊，白釉凝潤豐厚，然而石榴花果紋清晰可見，如同筆繪。永樂年玉壺春瓶雖有數例，多未及本品雅麗。

Nigel Wood（《Chinese Glazes. Their Origins, Chemistry and Recreation》，倫敦，1999年，頁66）講述甜白釉，甜白釉由純釉石提煉，幾乎不含釉灰，期青花瓷、或其他時期之白釉瓷有別。甜白釉釉面臻美，潔白玲瓏，瑩亮而溫潤不寒，光緻而觸手柔滑，無論凝神細賞、或把於掌中，皆為賞心樂事，意趣無窮。

比較一例，與本瓶極為相近，暗刻石榴花果紋，圖見《徐氏藝術館》，香港，1991年，圖版60；另一例售於香港佳士得1998年11月3日，編號918；再比一例，售於紐約蘇富比2004年9月22/23日，編號275。

此外尚可比較一例，帶海棠式開光石榴果紋 ，載於 John Ayers，《Chinese Ceramics in the Baur Collection》，日內瓦，1999年，卷 1，圖版60。永樂甜白釉瓷，紋飾與同期青花瓷相近，唯本瓶之石榴花果紋，並不見於鈷藍青花瓷。

參見一殘件例，上帶纏枝花卉紋飾，鄂圖曼金屬鑲嵌，圖見康蕊君，《Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul》，John Ayers編，倫敦，1986年，卷 2，編號 635。另一例出自玫茵堂收藏，帶纏枝蓮紋，錄於康蕊君，《玫茵堂中國陶瓷》，倫敦，1994-2010年，卷4，編號1631，售於紐約蘇富比1997年9月23日，編號263，並售於香港蘇富比2011年4月7日，編號49。再比一例，瓶頸經磨，似為光素無紋飾，售於倫敦蘇富比1973年11月27日，編號334。

本瓶以及同場拍賣明永樂青花纏枝牡丹紋淨水瓶（編號15）、明宣德孔雀藍釉暗刻雙龍戲珠紋盤（編號21）及多件琵金頓珍藏，皆出自古董商 H.R.N. Norton 私人收藏，其個人介紹，可參考編號15。