Bidspirit auction | Ming Dynasty: Copper-bodied Cloisonné Everted-rim

Ming Dynasty: Copper-bodied Cloisonné Everted-rim Brush Washer, with Natural Lacquer Cover - This washer features a broad, flattened rim, gently rounded shallow walls tapering steadily to a neatly formed foot — large, substantial, and stately in outline. The ground is enameled throughout in graduated tones of turquoise-blue, defined by fine, crisp copper wire. The rim is richly decorated with scrolling lotus: red, yellow, blue, and white blossoms arranged in balanced profusion, vines interweaving fluidly; the exterior repeats the motif in seamless harmony. The interior base depicts lotus and water plants with waterbirds resting amid blooms; one interior wall bears a soaring yellow dragon with spread claws, while the opposite wall shows a phoenix in flight with trailing plumes — the pair facing one another in splendid grandeur. A polished black lacquer cover fits perfectly, with a flat top and precisely formed opening. Enamels are rich and deep-hued, decoration abundant yet orderly, wirework fluent and exact — a major Ming-dynasty cloisonné vessel of the highest rank.