A rare polychrome-enamelled 'phoenix' bowl, Mark and period of Longqing (1567) | 明隆慶　彩繪鳳穿蓮花撇口盌《大明隆慶元年南山記中夏月吉旦造》款

with deep rounded sides rising from a short foot to a flared rim, the exterior painted with two phoenix soaring amidst lotus scrolls, the interior encircled around the inner rim with a band of overlapping petal motifs, encircling a central cloud motif incised in the centre, the base with an inscription dating to the first year of the Longqing period (corresponding with 1567), Japanese wood box

21.7 cm