Ming Yongle Pair Of Blue‑and‑White Moulded Lotus Stemmed Temple Lamps

拍品描述

Dimensions：H.21.5cm (8.46 Inches),15th Century Condition & Provenance：The pair remain structurally intact without cracks,minor old chips and age‑related wear appear on sharp petal edges of rim,slight glaze loss can be spotted in localized areas,cobalt glaze displays natural iron specks and typical smalt bleeding,interior holds accumulated old dust and stains,unglazed foot rims bear heavy earth‑encrusted patina and age wear,no glue or restorations.This pair originates from a private Princeton,New Jersey collection,once belonged to a seasoned local oriental art collector,acquired from a New York antique dealer guild in 1972,passed down within the same family for decades,mostly kept in private storage,rarely exhibited and never appeared in public auction. Description：This pair of 15th‑century Ming Yongle blue‑and‑white moulded lotus stemmed temple lamps are important imperial‑studio Buddhist ritual vessels of early Ming dynasty.Each lamp is assembled by upper lotus‑petal lamp bowl,middle segmented stem and lower inverted‑lotus flared base.The upper bowl is heavily moulded with multi‑layer upward‑growing lotus petals,petal outlines stand out in reserved white and interiors filled with rich blue glaze delivering strong three‑dimensional effect.The central stem is segmented,the bulbous section is decorated with blue‑and‑white round floral motifs separated by raised string lines.The wide flared base is carved with large downward‑facing lotus petals with scroll cloud ornaments at petal tips,relief modelling is bold and distinct.Interior is covered by bluish‑white glaze with visible throwing marks,a central drainage hole runs through base centre,the unglazed foot ring shows solid off‑grey porcelain body coated with thick aged soil patina.These lamps utilize early Ming imported smalt cobalt pigment,producing deep saturated blue colour with natural flowing bleeding and scattered dark iron crystallisation spots,the overlying glaze is thick,sleek and carries subtle bluish undertone.Combining mould carving,relief sculpture and underglaze blue painting,this complete matched pair bearing sacred Buddhist lotus motif represents rare surviving temple utensils from Yong‑Xuande period.

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