Premium Recommendation - Chenghua Nian made yellow glazed chicken jar cup

*本次藏品：成化年制黄釉鸡缸杯*

典藏尺寸：高：4cm 口径：8.1cm

大明成化年制黄釉鸡缸杯，是明代成化朝景德镇御窑厂烧造的顶级御用彩瓷珍品，为传统斗彩鸡缸杯的至尊变体品类。其以明黄釉为地，以斗彩（或珐琅彩）工艺绘就子母鸡图景，集皇家礼制、制瓷巅峰工艺与文人审美于一体，是中国古代陶瓷史上 “帝王级” 的艺术瑰宝。鸡缸杯的形制得名于其造型：敞口、浅腹、卧足，杯身线条圆润柔和，状如小型缸体，故得名 “缸杯”。黄釉鸡缸杯在形制上延续了经典鸡缸杯的比例，典型尺寸为口径约 8.3 厘米、高约 3.4 厘米、足径约 4.1 厘米，小巧玲珑，可握于掌中，尽显皇家器物的精致与雅致。

The Yellow Glazed Rooster Cup of the Chenghua Period of the Ming Dynasty is a top-tier imperial colored porcelain masterpiece fired by the Imperial Kiln Factory in Jingdezhen during the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty. It represents the supreme variant of the traditional Doucai (or Cloisonné) Rooster Cup. Adorned with a bright yellow glaze as the base and painted with Doucai (or Cloisonné) techniques depicting scenes of roosters and hens, it embodies royal ceremonial traditions, the pinnacle of porcelain craftsmanship, and literati aesthetics, standing as an "imperial-grade" artistic treasure in the history of ancient Chinese ceramics. The cup's form derives its name from its design: open mouth, shallow body, and low foot, with smooth, rounded lines resembling a small jar, hence the name "Jar Cup." The Yellow Glazed Rooster Cup maintains the classic proportions of its predecessor, with typical dimensions of approximately 8.3 cm in diameter, 3.4 cm in height, and 4.1 cm in foot diameter. Its compact and exquisite form fits comfortably in the palm, showcasing the refinement and elegance of imperial artifacts.

*本次藏品：成化年制黄釉鸡缸杯*

典藏尺寸：高：4cm 口径：8.1cm

成化朝（1465-1487 年）是明代瓷器工艺的黄金时代，成化皇帝朱见深的审美偏好直接塑造了成化瓷 “细腻、淡雅、柔润” 的独特风格。黄釉鸡缸杯的诞生，既源于成化帝对万贵妃的宠爱（传说鸡缸杯最初为取悦万贵妃而烧造），更承载着明代皇家的等级礼制：在明代，黄釉为帝王专属色，《明会典》明确规定 “庶民不得用黄”，黄釉瓷器仅为宫廷御用，民间严禁烧造，黄釉鸡缸杯因此成为皇权至高无上的物质象征，其规格远高于普通白地斗彩鸡缸杯，是成化御窑中等级最高的品类之一。

黄釉是黄釉鸡缸杯的核心身份标识，其烧造工艺在成化朝达到了历史巅峰。成化黄釉采用 “浇黄” 技法（又称 “娇黄”“鸡油黄”），以氧化铁为呈色剂，在烧好的白瓷胎上施釉，经 800-900℃低温二次烧成。成化黄釉的特点是：釉色娇嫩莹润，呈色均匀饱满，光泽柔和内敛，无流淌、无杂色，如凝脂般温润，既无明代早期黄釉的浓艳，也无清代黄釉的浮薄，是中国古代黄釉瓷器的典范。

黄釉的等级属性极为严苛：明代黄釉瓷器分为 “浇黄”“娇黄”“蜜蜡黄” 等多个等级，其中成化浇黄为最高等级，仅用于帝王御用器物。黄釉鸡缸杯以黄釉为地，而非白地，直接彰显了其 “帝王专属” 的身份，是明代宫廷礼制在瓷器上的直接体现。

The Chenghua era (1465–1487) marked the golden age of Ming Dynasty porcelain craftsmanship, with Emperor Chenghua Zhu Jianshen's aesthetic preferences directly shaping the distinctive style of Chenghua porcelain—delicate, understated, and smooth. The creation of the Yellow Glazed Rooster Cup stemmed not only from Emperor Chenghua's favor for Consort Wan (legend has it the cup was originally fired to please her), but also embodied the Ming imperial hierarchy. In the Ming Dynasty, yellow glaze was reserved exclusively for the emperor, as stipulated in the *Ming Huidian*: "Commoners were forbidden to use yellow."

Yellow-glazed porcelain was strictly reserved for imperial use, and private production was prohibited. Thus, the Yellow Glazed Rooster Cup became the supreme material symbol of imperial authority, with its specifications far surpassing those of ordinary white-ground polychrome Rooster Cups, making it one of the highest-tier categories in the Chenghua imperial kiln.

Yellow glaze is the core identity marker of the Yellow Glazed Rooster Cup, with its firing technique reaching historical heights during the Chenghua era. Chenghua yellow glaze employs the "Jiao Huang" (also known as "Ji You Huang") technique, using iron oxide as the coloring agent. It is applied to pre-fired white porcelain and undergoes a secondary firing at 800-900°C. The characteristics of Chenghua yellow glaze include: delicate and lustrous glaze color, even and vibrant hue, soft and understated sheen, with no flow or impurities, resembling the smoothness of congealed fat. It avoids the intense richness of early Ming Dynasty yellow glaze and the superficiality of Qing Dynasty yellow glaze, standing as a masterpiece of ancient Chinese yellow-glazed porcelain.

The grading criteria for yellow glaze are exceptionally stringent: Ming Dynasty yellow-glazed porcelain was categorized into multiple grades such as flow yellow, tender yellow, and honey wax yellow, with Chenghua flow yellow being the highest grade, reserved exclusively for imperial artifacts. The Yellow Glazed Rooster Cup, with its yellow glaze base rather than a white one, directly signifies its "imperial exclusivity," serving as a tangible manifestation of Ming Dynasty court rituals in porcelain craftsmanship.

*本次藏品：成化年制黄釉鸡缸杯*

典藏尺寸：高：4cm 口径：8.1cm

大明成化年制黄釉鸡缸杯，是中国古代陶瓷史上的 “帝王级” 珍品，它不仅是一件瓷器，更是明代皇权、工艺、审美与文化的完美载体。其以黄釉彰显皇权，以斗彩展现工艺，以纹饰承载情怀，历经六百年岁月，依然闪耀着不朽的艺术光芒。它是中国陶瓷史上的巅峰之作，是中华文明的璀璨瑰宝，更是历代藏家心中的终极梦想。

在近现代收藏市场，成化鸡缸杯是当之无愧的 “天价标杆”。2014 年，一只明代成化斗彩鸡缸杯（白地）以 2.8124 亿港元的价格成交，创下了中国瓷器拍卖的世界纪录，而黄釉鸡缸杯作为鸡缸杯中的至尊品类，存世量极为稀少，仅藏于北京故宫博物院、台北故宫博物院等顶级博物馆，民间几乎无真品传世，其收藏价值与历史价值，远非普通白地鸡缸杯可比。

The Ding Style Yellow Glazed Chicken Cup from the Chenghua Period of the Ming Dynasty is a "imperial-grade" masterpiece in the history of ancient Chinese ceramics. It is not merely a porcelain piece but a perfect embodiment of Ming Dynasty imperial power, craftsmanship, aesthetics, and culture. Its yellow glaze symbolizes imperial authority, its underglazed polychrome showcases exquisite craftsmanship, and its patterns convey profound emotions. After six centuries, it still radiates an immortal artistic brilliance. This piece stands as the pinnacle of Chinese ceramic history, a dazzling treasure of Chinese civilization, and the ultimate dream of collectors through the ages.

In the modern and contemporary art market, the Chenghua Chicken Cup is undoubtedly the "price benchmark for astronomical sums." In 2014, a Ming Dynasty Chenghua Doucai Chicken Cup (white ground) was sold for 281.24 million Hong Kong dollars, setting a world record for Chinese porcelain auctions. The yellow-glazed Chicken Cup, as the supreme category among all Chicken Cups, is exceptionally rare in existence, with only a few housed in top-tier museums such as the Palace Museum in Beijing and the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Virtually no genuine pieces have survived in the private sector, making its collectible and historical value far beyond that of ordinary white-ground Chicken Cups.

*本次藏品：成化年制黄釉鸡缸杯*

典藏尺寸：高：4cm 口径：8.1cm

以上藏品相关信息请与：四川尚亿拍卖有限公司联系。 

For information about the above collections, please contact: Sichuan Shangyi Auction Co., Ltd