A large purple-splashed lavender-glazed 'Jun' narcissus bowl, Early Ming dynasty. Estimation 2,000,000 — 3,000,000 HKD (233,438 - 350,157 EUR). Photo Sotheby's.
of shallow circular form, the rounded sides gently curving down to a flat recessed base supported on three ruyi-shaped feet, the mouthrim decorated with a band of evenly spaced bosses between two narrow raised bands, above a further band of bosses above the feet, the glaze on the interior of a milky-blue colour, the exterior of a vivid purple thinning to a mushroom tone on the bosses, the thick glaze coagulating in droplets around the exterior, the base covered in a brown dressing and incised with the character yi ('one'); 24 cm., 9 1/2 in.
Note: For a detailed discussion of 'Jun' narcissus bowls, see the footnote of a closely related lavender-glazed example in this sale, lot 3602, where it is pointed out that 'Jun' vessels of this type are made in different sizes, with those incised with the character yi ('one') commonly believed to be the largest, but the significance of the inscriptions remains an enigma.
Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, Hong Kong, 07 oct. 2015, 02:30 PM