A very rare kinrande ‘dancing lady’ ewer Ming dynasty, Jiajing period

intricately modelled in the form of a lady dancing with her right knee raised, her left arm lowered forming the handle and the right arm lifted forming the spout, clasping a leafy spray in the hand, wearing long robes elaborately decorated in iron-red, turquoise, and green enamels with a mythical beast panel to her chest, a foliate scroll around her collar and floral diaper patterns around her shoulders and underskirt, further embellished with traces of gilt floral scrolls, her face pencilled with underglaze-blue features and tied-up hair, all supported on an oval base decorated with shaped panels enclosing tasselled florets on a diaper ground, later wood cover imitating a double hair-knot and a matched rectangular stand

The overall condition is reasonably good and consistent with its age, however, there is a 5cm long crack running from the under side of the base up the back and there is also a 3cm long firing crack to the base. There is a firing crack to the lower part of the handle where the 'sleeve' meets the body and there is a 1.3cm crack (possibly firing) to the front left side of the base below the robe. Most of the gilding has been lost to the robes and there is remnants of two pieces of cellotape to the lower mid section of the front. There is restoration to one foot of the square stand.
"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."

For a very similar ewer from the famous collection of Sir Percival David, see R.L.Hobson, Chinese Pottery and Porcelain in the David Collection, pl CXLV, London, 1934; another in the Ataka Collection, see Masterpieces of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, 1999, no.57; another in the Tokyo National Museum, see Illustrated Catalogue of Tokyo National Museum, Chinese Ceramics II, Tokyo, 1953, p.93; another in the collection of the Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge, Mass., accession no.1940.228; and another, sold in these rooms 17^th June 1937, lot 116.