Finest Chinese Ming Wanli blue and white dragon wrapped floral porcelain garlic vase. Tall ovoid body, with bulbous lower region sweeping up into a slender neckline and onion-shaped top portion. The neck is banded toward the bottom and the onion head is partitioned into symmetric lobes. The outer surface is covered in a pale-white glaze with snarling imperial dragons careening through various foliage, variegate stylized flowers, and scrolling leafily tendrils. The garlic head decorated with auspicious pendants motif. Dragon is the symbol of the Emperor, the Son of Heaven, eternity, Yang and Yin, male vigor and fecundity. The Neck decorated with interconnects by vines and banded with tropical leaves on the neck collar, auspicious pattern and archaic Ming motif. The glaze appearance on the blue painting resembled the texture of an orange peel ju-pi (chu-p'i) or a chicken skin. The foot rim left unglazed, reveal pale-creme with burnt dark spots in the firing, and edge-cut foot rim, white the receded central base remain plain left white underglaze. The clay is very fine, with a brilliant finish that was applied by a meticulous glaze craftsman.
The under base bear a reign mark, a vertical six underglazed blue seal script characters reign mark, enclosed within double fine rings, Made in The Years of Wanli Reign Period of Great Ming Dynasty.Measurements: Height: 18 3/4" Diameter: 8 7/8"