Compare with two ewers of this shape both dated to the early Ming period, offered in the present sale: a tianbai ewer incised with flowers, lot 555; and a blue and white ewer decorated with scrolling peony flowers, lot 526. It is possible that the present Longquan ewer was made around the same time as those produced at Jingdezhen, as a number of similarly celadon-glazed vessels were excavated from the Xuande stratum, included in the exhibition, Xuande Imperial Porcelain Excavated at Jingdezhen, Chang Foundation, Taiwan, 1998, and illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 9-1, for a meiping and stand; and no. 10-3, a meiping vase, both clearly imitating those made at the Longquan kilns.

Related incised-decorated celadon ewers dated to circa 1400 are illustrated by J. Ayers and R. Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, London, 1986, vol. I, p. 297, nos. 225, 226 and 227.

For a discussion on this particular shape of ewers, cf. footnotes to the tianbai ewer, lot 555.