The majority of famille verte flying horse vessels of this biscuit type seem to be bowls. A small number of other shapes are recorded including tall ewers, see John Ayers, Chinese Ceramics, The Koger Collection, London, 1985, pp.124-125, pl.98; wine ewers or teapots, see Suzanne G. Valenstein, A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1989, p.214, pl.206; and B.M.F.E.A., no.50, Jan Wirgin, Chinese Ceramics from the Axel and Nora Lundgren Bequest, Sweden, 1978, p.237, pl.51a; and baluster jars, see E.W. Van Orsoy De Flines, Guide to the Ceramic Collection, Museum Pusat, Djarkata, 1969, pl.60. However there appear to be no published examples of this rare hexafoil shape which is obviuosly derived from Ming Dynasty precursors. For a Wanli marked example see Chinese Ceramics from Japanese Collections, Catalogue, Asia Society, New York, 1977, pl.103, no.58 from the Hatakeyama Memorial Museum, Tokyo. The authors note "Although it is difficult to state with certainty for what use this covered container and others like it were originally intended, it is probable that they were accessory boxes for a Chinese scholar's writing desk. In Japan, however, such pieces were adapted for use as water jars (mizusashi) in the tea ceremony"

The highly decorative design of horses flying above waves can be found on porcelains as early as the Ming dynasty. For a Jiajing example see Suzanne G. Valenstein, The Herzman Collection of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1992, p.92, pl.90. By the transitional period (mid 17th Century), the design was more developed and closer to our example. Many bowls are published and interestingly often bear apocryphal Ming marks. For examples see John Ayers, The Baur Collection, Vol. Two, Geneva, 1969, pl.A254 and A255-256; Michael Butler, Margaret Medley and Stephen Little, Seventeenth Century Chinese Porcelain from the Butler Family Collection, Virginia, 1990, p.180, no.124; and Tokyo National Museum, llustrated Catalogue of Old Oriental Ceramics, (donated by Mr. Yokogawa), Tokyo, 1953, pl.312