Chinese Ming Dynasty blue and white phoenix porcelain Meiping jar. The Plum vase skillfully shaped into a traditional Meiping form, with a narrow base, wide body, slender neck easing to form a petite opening. The exterior decorated with hand painting in underglazed blue, is encapsulated in flying Phoenix amongst ruyi cloud, Lishui water, and lotus blooms covered all belly. Phoenix (Feng-Huang) represents exquisiteness, goodness, warmth, prosperity, peace, the Sun, abundant harvests, and reason in government. Floral lotus bloom patterns circumscribe the top and bottom collars. The foot banded with upturning lappets. Initiated conjugated marks between upper and lower parts of the vase during the kiln process can be seen from uneven surface below the shoulder. The foot rim reveals the cut edges during the making process, and the base left unglazed with grayish creme-brown ground and dark spots of firing marks. A characteristic heaped and piled effect, the underglaze cobalt blue concentrates in certain areas, bubbling through the surface of the glaze and turning a deep blue-black. This inadvertently gave texture, energy and shading to the design. The glaze stopping before the foot rim, revealed the pale-creme ground, with orange and grayish firing marks.
Measurements: Height: 9 1/2" Diameter: 4 5/8"PROVENANCE: From Pennsylvania private collectors, Family Inherited. Original Receipt dated on May 8th, 1892. Bought from H.A. Eberhardt & Son Inc. of 210 Walnut ST, Philadelphia, PA. The Collections of Keller's family presented and offered up to auctions from Lot-179 through Lot-200.