The sale "Ming: The Intervention of Imperial Taste" has ended on 15 March. Being on the catalogue cover with the highest estimated price before auction, the tianbai-glazed meiping of Yongle period sucessfully becomes the top lot of the sale. However, the blue and white moon flask of the same peiod, of which the estimation is the second-highest among all the lots offered in the sale, is unsold.

A blue and white reserve-decorated "peony" dish has "replaced" the moon flask as the second expensive lot of the sale with a high price times beyond its estimation. The dish bears a six-charater Xuande mark, and presents rich, solid glaze colours. The making of blue and white reserve-decorated porcelains costs much, spending a large amount of cobalt for a only small work. Moreover, the process is long and difficult, that even imperial workshops could not put them in massive production.

The third expensive lot is a blue and white "dragon" washer of Xuande period.

Top lots

AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE AND FINE ANHUA-DECORATED TIANBAI-GLAZED MEIPING
MING DYNASTY, YONGLE PERIOD

Lot No.：3
Height：32.2 cm
Estimate：US$2,300,000 - 2,800,000
Sold：US$3,132,500

AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE AND LARGE FINE BLUE AND WHITE RESERVE-DECORATED ‘PEONY’ DISH
XUANDE MARK AND PERIOD

Lot No.: 6
Diameter: 38.6 cm
Estimate: US$1,000,000 - 1,500,000
Sold: US$2,172,500

A SUPERBLY PAINTED RARE BLUE AND WHITE ‘DRAGON’ BRUSH WASHER
XUANDE MARK AND PERIOD

Lot No.: 8
Diameter: 20.7 cm
Estimate: US$1,500,000 - 2,500,000
Sold: US$1,692,500

Auction Summary

Auction House: Sotheby's New York
Sale: Ming: The Intervention of Imperial Taste
Sale No.: N09660
Date: 2017/3/15
Total Sales: US$11,339,000
Lots: 14
Sold: 13
Unsold: 1
Average Price per Sold Lot: US$872,231
Selling Rate: 93%

(prices include buyer's premium, unless otherwise stated)