YONGZHENG SIX-CHARACTER MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE WITHIN A DOUBLE SQUARE AND OF THE PERIOD (1723-1735)

The glaze on the present cup is reminiscent of the peachbloom glaze that was first developed in the Kangxi period and used on eight vessel shapes referred to as the badama, or 'Eight Great Numbers.' While favored during the Kangxi reign, small peachbloom-glazed wares of Yongzheng date, such as the current cup, are quite rare.

Two Yongzheng mark-and-period meiping covered with a glaze described as peachbloom-type, formerly in the collection of Adaline Havemeyer Frelinghuysen, were sold at Christie’s New York, 13 March 2012, lots 1545 and 1546. The glaze on lot 1546, which shades from crushed-strawberry red to greyish red and celadon, is quite similar to that on the current cup.