A Chinese polychrome-decorated jar, Ming dynasty (1368-1644), of ovoid form, painted in red, yellow and green overglaze enamels with crickets and butterflies among blossoming florets and rocks, between a scrolling flower and a false gadroon border, six-character Jiajing mark, 18.5cm high, associated wood stand (2) A comparable Jiajing mark and period jar, retaining its short slightly everted neck, is in the Metropolitan Museum in New York, no: 1991.253.58. Although painted to a slightly better standard, and with horses instead of flowers, its basic decorative scheme is the same as on the present lot. Provenance: A private collection, London; inherited from grandparents who were in China on diplomatic duty between the wars, and thence by descent. 明 红绿彩虫草纹罐 《大明嘉靖年制》青花楷书款 Condition report: Surface scratches, a small chip to shoulder, a glaze frit to lower section of body, cracks to rim, body and base, firing cracks to the interior, minute chips to rim. Mouth unglazed to the exterior, possibly cut in but with glaze inside. Wood stand with cracks and splits, glued.