A FINE AND RARE BLUE AND WHITE 'PRUNUS TREE' 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 soft shades of underglaze blue with a prunus tree's two gnarled branches bearing white blossoms, with some small shoots rising from the ground, a tall rock behind, a clump of narcissus and another low rock to one side, and a younger flowering tree on the other, representing the eleventh month, the reverse inscribed with a poem relating to the flowering tree in front, followed by the seal shang ('to appreciate'), the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark within double circles

Collection of Mary Porter Walsh.
Sotheby's New York, 28th November 1994, lot 331.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 27th April 1999, lot 440.

The cup is in overall very good condition.
"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."

This finely potted cup illustrates the eleventh month through its delicately illustrated prunus tree and associated poem, which reads and can be translated as follows:

Su yan xue ning shu, qing xiang feng man zhi.

Simple beauty like a tree frozen with snow,
Branches moving in the wind full of clear fragrance.

A complete set of Kangxi mark and period underglaze blue month cups is illustrated in Tsui Museum of Art. Chinese Ceramics IV, Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 105B; another set was sold in these rooms, 3^rd May 1994, lot 161. Compare also another blue and white month cup depicting a prunus tree sold in these rooms, 27^th April 1999, lot 441.
The design of this cup closely follows the wucai version; see lot 3092 in the present sale.