明永樂 青花纏枝牡丹扁瓶

直口，細頸，如意形對稱雙耳，竪向扁圓腹，橢圓底露胎略凹。腹繪青花纏枝牡丹，佈局疏落有致。細頸畫捲草紋，肩飾蓮瓣，近底處則以菊瓣綴之。

Nancy and Ira Koger 收藏

John Ayers，《Chinese Ceramics. The Koger Collection》，倫敦，1985年，圖版51
康蕊君，《玫茵堂中國陶瓷》，倫敦，1994-2010年，卷4，編號1635

There is a five-point star crack on one side with one prong extending above toward the shoulder on approx. 9 cm, another prong running with subsidiary branches across the main side along the shoulder up to about the other side of the flask. The crack has been stabilized with some touch up and small repaints. There is otherwise some natural crackling on other areas of the body and faint hairlines at the rim. The actual blue pigment is a little more greyish compared to the catalogue illustration. The white background is also slightly more tinged to blue.
"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."

此類扁壺常繪各式花果紋，然如現拍品般飾牡丹紋者則非常珍稀。另有一器，繪相同牡丹花紋，器頸已殘，並後刻印度蒙兀兒王朝皇帝歐朗則布（Awrangzib）之名款（1658-1707年間在位） ，及相當於公元1659/60年之日期，原屬 Walter Sedgwick 夫人雅蓄，現藏倫敦大英博物館，可參考 Jessica Harrison-Hall，《Ming Ceramics in the British Museum》，倫敦，2001年，編號4:17。

有一相仿飾纏枝蓮花紋作例，現藏清皇帝的夏宮河北承德避暑山莊，錄於《中國陶瓷全集》，上海，1999-2000年，卷12，圖版17。宮廷繪畫《是一是二圖》中，描繪乾隆鑑賞所藏珍寶，其中的扁壺可能正是此件；參考《盛世華章》，英國皇家藝術學院，倫敦，2005-6年，編號196。尚有一件繪較常見茶花紋之扁壺，自明景德鎮御窰廠的瓦片堆中起出，曾於《景德鎮珠山出土永樂官窰瓷器》特展展出，首都博物館，北京，2007年，編號104。