A MING-STYLE BLUE AND WHITE 'LOTUS BOUQUET' MOONFLASK, BIANHU 18th century (2)A MING-STYLE BLUE AND WHITE 'LOTUS BOUQUET' MOONFLASK, BIANHU18th centuryThe flattened spherical body rising from a rectangular foot rim to a waisted neck and small bulb-shaped head, flanked with two elegantly arched strap handles ended with a ruyi-head terminal resting on the shoulder, freely painted in deep tones of cobalt accented with 'heaping and piling', the domed circular front and back depicting a mixed bouquet of lotus and other other water plants, the neck and head with a branch of flowers on both sides, the handles outlined with double lines extending to the ruyi terminus, above two branches of lotus running down the narrow sides, all covered with a glossy glaze of smooth texture, the foot rim unglazed, stand. 26cm (10 1/4in) high. (2).十八世紀 青花一束蓮抱月瓶The design and shape of the present moonflask follows the early fifteenth century form derived from Middle Eastern metal vessels. Although the present lot retains the general Ming form, the design has developed with the neck in various forms as well as a more prominent square foot at the base towards Qing dynasty. The subtle and variated blue and white palette imitates the early Ming dynasty imported cobalt blue, with high iron content, resulting in dark blue spots on the surface. See a Ming dynasty version of a blue and white moonflask of similar form in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 2012, no.94.The design on this moonflask is typically described as 'lotus bouquet', as the majority of the flowers, pods and leaves belong to the auspicious lotus plant. This design is adapted from an important group of early Ming blue and white wares, such as one example in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in ibid., Hong Kong, 2012, no.139.