A Fine and very rare Ming blue and white stembowl. Wanli six-character mark in a line and of the period (1573-1619)

A fine and very rare Ming blue and white stembowl. Wanli six-character mark in a line and of the period (1573-1619). Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2011

The bowl with an everted rim, painted on the exterior and interior well with peony scrolls, the interior with a central medallion of three lotuses, raised on a slightly flared columnar support decorated with a continuous band of lotus scrolls, all within double-line borders, the reign mark evenly spaced on the interior of the stem foot; 6 in. (15.3 cm.) diam., box  Estimate HK$1,000,000 - HK$1,500,000($129,143 - $193,715). Price Realized  HK$6,020,000 ($777,446)

Provenance : Acquired from a private collection, Paris

Notes: The prototype for this pattern can be seen on earlier ceramics such as the Chenghua bowl, illustrated by Sun Yingzhou, Sun Yingzhou de taoci shijie, Beijing, 2003, no. 48.

Christie's . Inspired Connoisseurship: Property from a European Collection , 1 June 2011 , Convention Hall www.chisties.com