A RARE IMPERIAL BLUE AND WHITE SMALL 'DRAGON' JARWanli six-character mark and of the periodThe globular baluster vessel painted in vivid tones of cobalt-blue with two powerful scaly five-clawed dragons chasing flaming pearls amidst clouds and flames, below band of scrollinglingzhi fungus and above a border of plantain leaves, wood stand and cover.12.3cm (4 3/4in) highProvenance: 明萬曆 青花戲珠龍紋罐青花「大明萬曆年製」楷書款Provenance:E. Gordon LowderBluett's, London, acquired from aboveCollection of Charles Sydney Cheston (d.1960), and thence by descentRecorded in Charles Cheston's 1946 catalogue as purchased from Bluett & Sons in 1924. Bluett's letter to Lowder of 27th January 1926 encloses a statement of account which includes payment of GBP12:10 for this vase; see R. Davids & D. Jellinek, Provenance, p.302, for further information about E. Gordon Lowder.來源：E. Gordon Lowder舊藏倫敦Bluett & Sons，購自上述Charles Sydney Cheston（逝於1960年）舊藏，購自上述，後由其家族繼承Charles Sydney Cheston在其1946年的圖錄中記載此罐於1924購於Bluett & Sons。一封1926年1月27日Bluett's寫給Lowder的信中附言以£12:10購買了這件龍罐。The relatively elongated shape of the present jar shows that it is a product of the Wanli period Imperial kiln along with the fine and strong brushstrokes outlining the powerful and regal dragons.pare with a closely related blue and white jar decorated with dragons chasing flaming pearls in the Huaihaitang Collection included in the 2012 Enlightening Elegance: Imperial Porcelain of the Mid to Late Ming - The Huaihaitang Collection exhibition held at the Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, illustrated in the exhibition catalogue, Hong Kong, 2012, no.118. The band of lingzhi fungus on the shoulder of the present jar is a design passed on from the Jiajing period when the Daoist religion gained prominence in Court life. Such decoration, of which carrying the auspicious symbolic meaning of longevity, can also be seen on Jiajing period lacquerwares, for example see the sides of a Jiajing polychrome circular 'dragon and phoenix' lacquer box in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in Theplete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Lacquer Wares of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, Hong Kong, 2006, no.139.本罐器型圓潤飽滿，體型小巧，較明早期造型略微修長，為萬曆時期官窯典型造型。2012年香港中文大學《機暇明道: 懷海堂藏明代中晚期官窯瓷器》展覽中一件青花趕珠龍紋罐可資參考，見展覽圖錄，香港，2012年，編號118。本品肩部繪有的卷草靈芝紋寓意長壽，是當時官窯器物中常見的道教題材紋飾，此信仰尤其在嘉靖朝之後盛行於宮廷。同樣的紋飾也見於嘉靖年間其他的宮廷物品，例如在漆器上...