A FINE AND RARE WUCAI 'NARCISSUS' MONTH CUP MARK AND PERIOD OF KANGXI

delicately potted of deep 'U'-shape with flared rim and a short straight foot, painted on one side in the wucai palette in underglaze blue and overglaze enamels with two clumps of narcissus, the larger one with a blue rock behind and a single red rose emerging from its midst, representing the twelfth month, the reverse inscribed with a poem relating to the flowers in front, followed by the seal shang ('to appreciate'), the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark within double circles

Christie's Hong Kong, 29th April 2002, lot 623.

The cup is in overall very good condition. There are some small faint white original specks in the biscuit at the bottom of the cup below the poem. There is a minute burst air bubble in the glaze on the interior.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present cup depicts the narcissus of the twelfth month and the poem reads and can be translated as follows:

Chunfeng nong yu lai qing zhou, ye yue lingbo shang dati.

'The spring breeze plays with these gems when daylight arrives.
When the moon traverses at night, it sends ripples up the long dike 

Full sets of month cups include one in the Hong Kong Museum of Art, included in the exhibition The Wonders of the Potter’s Palette. Qing Ceramics from the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1984, cat. no. 15; another set illustrated in Julian Thompson, The Alan Chuang Collection of Chinese Porcelain, Hong Kong, 2009, cat. no. 40; and a third published in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 4, London, 2010, pls. 1728-39.

A single narcissus cup, from the H.M. Knight collection, was sold twice in our London rooms, 12^th May 1977, lot 99, and again, 31^st October 1995, lot 494; and another was sold in our New York rooms, 20^th March 2002, lot 196.