A Chinese blue and white 'Eighteen Scholars' stem cup, Ming Dynasty, 16th-17th century, the hollow high foot rising to a rounded bowl and a slightly flared rim, the exterior decorated in cobalt blue with a continuous scene depicting a gathering of eighteen scholars, all above petal lappets encircling the underside, the foot bordered with pendent leaves, the rim bordered with a geometric band, 14.7 cm diameter, Japanese wood box Provenance: Bought by Colonel W. R. Hodgson in Tokyo in the early 1950s on the advice of Professor Fujio Koyama (小山冨士夫) of Tokyo National Museum and by direct descent to the current owner. Compare with a similar example in the Victoria and Albert Museum, Ceramics Room 137, The Curtain Foundation Gallery, case F, shelf 2, C.46-1957 明十六至十七世纪 青花十八学士图高足杯 拍品来源：W. R. Hodgson 上校于上世纪五十年代在日本知名的宋瓷学者、东洋陶瓷学会委员长小山富士夫教授指导下于东京所购