A blue and white "Pilgrim's flask", the flattened globular body rising from an oval foot to a short cylindrical neck with everted rim applied with a pair of ruyi handles, painted in the Ming style in rich cobalt-blue tones . The white paste shows small black and orange impurities near the slightly azure glaze. The bianping shape, defined by some authors baoyeping is decorated in the style of the Xuande and Yongle Reigns when the cobalt-blue was applied by hand with strong concentrations of colour which tended to form dark areas in the glaze due to burning. The orange peel surface is also characteristic of the early Ming period. Nevertheless the lobed handles and decoration belong to the succeding dynasty. China, Qing Dynasty Certificated by Mario Prodan. Mr. Prodan was author of different important books on Chinese art A similar piece in the National Palace Museum, Taipei is online: http://catalog.digitalarchives.tw/item/00/59/c8/e7.html; See also Sotheby's Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, London 10 nov 2010, L10211, Lot 93 (cm 24,5x20,5x10)

Estimate € 8,000 - 10,000