Product：Ming Yongle Imperial Blue and White Cloud Dragon Pattern Holding Pot

NO：0101

Starting Price：HKD 60,000,000

Transaction Price：HKD 107,449,000

Specification：Height 22.5cm

Auction Time：23-Apr-Sat

Auction Company：Sotheby

This pot is unparalleled in the world and is specially made by the imperial kiln for the exclusive use of the palace. It is worthy of the reputation of being paired with the Yongle blue and white heavy ware. At first glance, holding a pot, or only recognizing it as a classic porcelain artifact from the early Ming Dynasty, it is difficult to understand its rarity. The pot body is cleverly painted with a five clawed cloud dragon, with round dragon eyes and short hair raised, as if it had just descended from high altitude and was about to spread its legs and claws, ready to soar in the clouds. Its heroic posture is robust, and its body is set in a peach blossom, yet it feels free and proud to soar. Such dragon patterns were extremely rare before the Xuande Dynasty, but they were commonly seen in the imperial porcelain of the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, the extraordinary importance of this pot in the history of Chinese ceramic art has not been fully recognized in the past.
 

The teapot flow is slender and graceful, complementing the curved handle, with an overall proportion that is just right and pleasing to the eye. This type of porcelain pot is rare as the morning star, but it can be seen on the gold and silver ware used by the same generation of emperors. For example, the gold pot unearthed from the tomb of Zhu Zhanyi, King of Liangzhuang, is said to have been made by a palace workshop, dating back to Hongxi (1425). The size of the pot is similar to this, and the peach shaped designs on both sides of the pot belly are also the same.
 

This type of vessel should continue to be used during the Xuan Dynasty. The Philadelphia Museum of Art in the United States has an old gold embryo inlaid treasure holding pot from the Umaphoules collection, and the peach shaped opening of the pot belly also features a five clawed dragon carving. It must be similar to this blue and white holding pot and is a true royal vessel.