Chinese Ming Dynasty porcelain bottle vase. Potted in a shape of double gourd resemblance, with two bulbous belly conjoined together, suspending a tall cylindrical neck, bulbous lower section converging into a lemon-shape midsection and finishing into a slender bottleneck at the top, gently rounded to narrow opening. The base is Olive-green color underglaze with mottled coloration due to the firing process, combine pale yellow-red color created fascinating eyes. The exterior decorated with painting of pale yellow-red front facing snarling imperial dragon careening through cumulus clouds above thrashing Li-Shui waves between flaming clouds. Dragon is the symbol of the Emperor, the Son of Heaven, eternity, Yang and Yin, male vigor and fecundity. Auspicious pattern in the belly rim, while a, scrolling floral vines, ruyi clouds, adorned the upper body against olive-green ground underglaze. The immaculate porcelain body covered with a characteristic silky glaze. Underglaze olive-green are stable with subtle shades. The Lines of the drawings are clear; the light and dark shades are subtle. Scattered minor glaze anomalies. The clay is fine and exquisite, the glaze smooth, brilliant with a moist appearance, the finishing meticulous.


The under-base bears a reign mark, a vertical six underglaze blue script characters reign mark, enclosed within double fine rings, Made in The Years of Wanli Reign Period of The Great Ming Dynasty.


Measurements: 9-7/8" H x 6-1/2" Diam.

PROVENANCE:

From the private collections of Green family, of New York, by inheritance. Estate from ST LAWRENCE ANTIQUES, Riverside DR, Ogdensburg, New York. The Green's family collections offered at this Auctions can be found on Lot-278 Through Lot-302.

LOT NOTES:

In China, the double-gourd or bottle-gourd, Hulu, has traditionally provided a very popular form for vases and ewers. In addition to their attractive shape, bottle-gourds are associated with a number of different auspicious wishes. Because natural gourds have many seeds, they have been regarded as symbols of extensive progeny. Indeed, one of their attributes is believed to be bringing hundreds of sons, Hulu baizi. The pronunciation of the Chinese word for bottle-gourd varies in different parts of China, and in some areas it is close to Fulu - Fu being blessings, and lu being an official salary - hence it is associated with good fortune and wealth. Double-gourds are also one of the symbols of longevity or immortality. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that one of the Eight Daoist Immortals, Li Tieguai is usually depicted carrying a double- gourd in which he carried medicines. Indeed, there are many stories about double-gourds from which magical potions or creatures appeared, in addition to which gourds were believed to be able to absorb all evil vapors, safe-guarding those who carried them.

Over all in EXCELLENT Condition.
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