Water droppers of this form are extremely rare and no others appear to be recorded. However, Xuande marked birdfeeders are moulded in a variety of shapes and provide the closest comparisons. Cf. an example formed as two peaches illustrated by Hobson, Chinese Ceramics in Private Collections, fig. 145; a gourd-shaped bird-feeder from the T.Y.Chao Collection, sold in Hong Kong, 19 May 1987, lot 237; and a chrysanthemum-form birdfeeder offered in our New York Rooms, 30 May 1991, lot 307.