An elegant Ming Dynasty imperial ewer decorated with five full blossoming and interconnecting flowers, including two Buddhist lotus, a peony, and two camellia in the style of Yuan and early Ming; its shape is typical for short ewers of Yongle and Xuande periods; the body is made of fine clay, the glaze is unctuous and has a bluish-green tint; the cobalt blue is pure and intensely blue, forming dark spots due to coarse pigment granules, common among the cobalt blue imported from Persia during early Ming; all these features are typical for early Ming. Height 5 in. Provenance: Dr. Robert I-San Lin’s Collection of Important Chinese Arts, brought to California in 1960s