A good porcelain elephant-shaped kendi decorated in underglaze blue

Description:

China, Wanli period
H. 18,5 cm
The elephant holds its head up in the air, the feet forming a double spout. The top of the kendi rises from a ruyi band on the back, which forms the handle decorated with a branch of a flower and birds, the saddle cover is decorated with a geometric pattern and a flower. Unglazed base.
From an important Süd German private collection, acquired on 15 December 1995 from Georg L. Hartl, Schloss Egg (original invoice preserved)
Similar elephant-shaped kendis are preserved in the collection of the Topkapi Saray Museum. See R. Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum Istanbul. The complete catalogue, Vol. II, London, 1986, pp. 729-730. Further elephant kendis were recovered from the cargo "Witte Leeuw" (1613) of the Dutch East India Company. See also C. L. van der Pijl-Ketel, The ceramic load of the Witte Leeuw, Amsterdam, 1982, pp. 132-133. Further examples were found at Christie's New York, 23 January 2008, lot 234; Christie's New York, 21 January 2009, lot 165; Christie's New York, 21 January 2009, lot 165. January 2009, lot 165; Christie's New York, 24 March 2004, lot 179 - Small glaze frits and two small chips underneath at the mouth