the finely potted sides rising in a subtle bell-shape from a straight foot, the exterior delicately painted in underglaze blue with tall chrysanthemum, the flowers in full bloom over smaller blossoming flora, a spindly leafless plant emerging alongside, its knobby branches arcing over a rocky outcrop, three butterflies fluttering overhead, the opposite side with a poetic couplet followed by the seal mark shang ('appreciation'), the base with a six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle

Collection of Stephen Junkunc, III (d. 1978).

There is an approx. 0.9-cm hairline crack from the rim, a small frit to the rim, and a minute chip to the foot. There are very minor manufacturing imperfections, including a short firing line to the foot and a couple minute burst glaze bubbles near the rim.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This delicately potted cup depicting flowering chrysanthemums and butterflies, accompanied by a complementary two-lined poem, exemplifies a classic design of the Kangxi period. It represents the ninth month of the year, and would have originally been part of a set of twelve cups each depicting seasonal flowers. Cups of this type were known to have been used for wine drinking at court during the Kangxi period. The poem can be translated as: Qian zai bai yi jiu. Yi sheng qing nu xiang.
'A thousand fills of wine drunk in a plain white robe. Throughout the whole life fragrant like a young woman.'

Compare a full set of blue and white month cups from the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (III), Hong Kong, 2000, pl. 71; a ‘peony’ month cup sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27th November 2013; another sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 1st November 1994, lot 134; and a third, also from the Stephen Junkunc III Collection, sold in these rooms, 12th September 2018, lot 109.