H:22.2cmA Blue and White Ewer with Phoenix, 16th centuryof Islamic metal form, the tall slender vessel of pear shape, with waisted neck and galleried rim, the long upright 's' shaped spout joined to the neck by a strut, opposite the long loop handle, the body decorated in soft blue with bands of decoration, separated by double line and florette borders, the belly painted on both sides with a phoenix perched on rockwork, surrounded by flying birds, above a white hare crouched among flowers, the hare motif repeated on the lower neck, below a border of upright leaves under the rim, the four character mark Xuande nian zao within a double square on the baseEwers of this type were exported as luxury wares to the Middle East, and can be found in a number of Princely collections and bequests to religious institutions.John Alexander Pope illustrates four comparable examples as Plate 98 in Chinese Porcelains from the Ardebil Shrine , London 1981. The two ewers on the right hand side both bear the 'Xuande nian zao' four character mark, like the present example.The collection is now in the Archaeological Museum, Tehran.Condition: extensive repair to handle, to upper spout and spout strut品相报告: 131. Bw Ming phoenix ewer.extensive repair to handle, to upper spout and spout strut