Lot Essay
It is extremely rare to find the doucai palette used during the Transitional period, although doucai examples can be found in the Wanli period and again in the Kangxi period. By far the more usual overglaze and underglaze decoration of this period was executed in the wucai palette. It is interesting to compare the slightly smaller blue and white gu of very similar shape and proportions to the present lot with a date corresponding to 1663 in the Hong Kong Museum of Art, exhibited Transitional Wares and their Forerunners, Hong Kong O.C.S., 1981, Catalogue no.91 (two views illustrated in colour) and p.126. This vase, like the vase in the present lot, has a fairly thick brown dressing on the rim.