明萬曆 五彩龍鳳呈祥紋扇形盒 《大明萬曆年製》款

with straight sides rising from a knife-pared foot, each facet deftly enamelled with a leaping five-clawed dragon pursuing a flaming pearl beside a swooping phoenix, all amidst leafy sprays issuing stylised flower heads and within underglaze-blue double-line borders, the glazed base inscribed with a six-character reign mark in a scallop-edged rectangular cartouche, wood cover and stand

S.H. Evans 收藏，至1962年
Bluett & Sons Ltd，倫敦，1962年 (£40)
羅傑琵金頓(1928-69年)收藏，自1962年(£75)

There are glaze flakes to the edges, more significantly on the two edges of the narrow concave end, as visible in the catalogue illustration, measuring 3 cm and 2 cm, whilst the few on the wider end range from 0.5 to 1.2 cm. There is also an oval-shaped glaze flake to the foot of the wider end of 1 by 0.5 cm. There are also a few firing cracks from the rim, with two major ones, one of 4 cm as shown in the illustration, and another of double 'Y' shape and extending down as low as 4.5 cm.
"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."

兩相類盒例，曾售於香港蘇富比，其一於1984年5月21日，編號67，其二於1993年10月26日，編號61；另見兩近似蓋盒，分售於倫敦蘇富比1987年7月11日，編號192，及2004年6月9日，編號187；此外，倫敦大英博物館亦藏一蓋盒，造型相若，繪雙龍紋，錄霍吉淑，《Ming Ceramics in the British Museum》，倫敦，2001年，圖版11:152。另有一相似造型青花龍紋盒，大明萬曆年製款，藏於北京故宮博物院，刊《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集·青花釉裡紅》（中），上海，2000年，圖版174；亦見一對例，仇焱之舊藏，售於香港蘇富比1980年11月25日，編號14。