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BW-06020 Meipˇ¦ing vase with underglaze-blue decoration of sprays, flowers, and fruits. Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Unmarked.

Height: 39.5cm, Mouth diameter: 6.3cm, Bottom diameter: 13.9cm.    

Interior bottom diameter: 0.3cm, Weight: 4580g.

This ware has been cleansed with Oxalic Acid to remove dirt and viscidities to restore its original luster for collection and preservation.

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Reference:(Ware Form):

1. Ma Xi-gui. ˇ§Picture 105: Meipˇ¦ing vase with underglaze-blue decoration of peaches, bamboos, and plumsˇ¨. Chinese Blue and White Porcelain, Shanghai: Shanghai Gu Ji, 1999, p.92.

2. Ma Xi-gui. ˇ§Picture 190: Meipˇ¦ing vase with underglaze-blue decoration of sprays, flowers, and fruitsˇ¨. Chinese Blue and White Porcelain, Shanghai: Shanghai Gu Ji, 1999, p.139.

3. Geng Bao-chang. ˇ§Picture 15: Meipˇ¦ing vase with underglaze-blue decoration of sprays, flowers, and fruitsˇ¨.  Collection of Blue and White Porcelains from Early Ming Dynasty Volume 1, Beijing: Forbidden City, Aug. 2002, p.41.

This Meipˇ¦ing vase had lip-shaped mouth, short neck, and round shoulder. It had narrowing figure from the belly to the bottom. The foot ring of this vase was low and flat. The ware body had been pared exquisitely and seemed seamless.  It was the typical ware form of Meipˇ¦ing in the early Ming dynasty. 

The decoration of this vase was pretty and refreshing. Lotus petals were embellished around shoulder.

The body of the ware was ornamented with flowers and fruits, including pomegranate sprays, peaches, cherries, persimmons, and loquats. Those were symbols of luck and longevity. The foot was beautified with plantain leaves. 

The glaze of the clay appeared slight blue though white color.  The surface of glaze looked plump, translucent, and sleek. It was immaculate, morbidezza and with few impurities of the glaze. 

Reference:

1. Ma, Xi-gui. Chinese Blue and White Porcelain, Shanghai: Shanghai Gu Ji, 1999, p.91.

The color of underglaze-blue was dense and gorgeous. It was diffused, and had iron rust spots in the thick pigment area. While touching by hands, it felt uneven on the surface. Those were the features of using imported pigment. 

Reference:(Illustration of pigment)

1. Li Zhi-yan. ˇ§Appraisement of porcelain from Ming dynastyˇ¨. Chinese Pottery Investment and Appraisal, Vol. 3, Beijing: Elephant, Dec. 2004, 178-181.

The unglazed clay on the bottom was clear white and smooth with exiguous sand. It had been pared neatly, and felt sleek. There were a bit of iron rust spots and flint-red marks.

Most porcelains in underglaze-blue from early Ming dynasty used imported pigment, Su-ma-li blue. This pigment made color dense and gorgeous. By using it, yellowish brown crystalline iron spots were formed naturally on the surface of glaze. 

Reference:

1. Geng Bao-chang. Collection of Blue and White Porcelains from Early Ming Dynasty Volume 1, Beijing: Forbidden City, Aug. 2002, 36-37.

The layer of glaze was thick and plump. Air bubbles of various sizes scattered evenly, and each was crystal-clear and moist.

Imperial clay, Ma-cang clay, caused stable formation under high temperature. The raw clay was panned exquisitely; therefore it had few impurities and refined quality with clearly white color. 

Reference:

1. Liao, Pao-show. Catalogue of the Special Exhibition of Selected Hsuan-te Imperial Porcelains of the Ming Dynasty, Taipei: National Palace Museum, 1998, 25-26.