A 'Ming-style' blue and white cup. Qing dynasty, Yongzheng period

A 'Ming-style' blue and white cup. Qing dynasty, Yongzheng period

the thinly potted deep U-shaped body rising from a recessed base to a slightly flaring rim, delicately painted in Chenghua style in shades of underglaze cobalt-blue with two pairs of song birds perched on fruiting and flowering branches, all between thin lines at the base and rim, the interior with a medallion enclosing four cloud collar lappets, each lappet and a central ring enclosing a single character in lanca script, the base with an apocryphal Chenghua mark. 9.5cm., 3 3/4 in. Est. 4,000—6,000 GBP. Lot Sold 11,250 GBP

NOTE: A closely related example, from the Sir Percival David collection in the British Museum, London, is published in The Illustrated Catalogue of Underglaze Blue and Copper Red Decorated Porcelains in the Percival David Collection of Chinese Art, London, 2004, p. 48, pl. A697; and another cup, now in the Museum of East Asian Art, Bath, was sold in these rooms, 2nd December 1997, lot 254.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. 13 May 09. London www.sothebys.com