The Asian art auction that Setdart is holding on October 10 hides small treasures of great artistic value. Among the pieces tendered is a small cup dating from the Ming Dynasty, which ruled China between 1368 and 1644, which stands out for the delicacy of the exquisite play of fretwork and the white of its polished surface. It is an export piece brought to Europe from Shanghai by the acclaimed Asian art dealer John Sparks, who ran a well-respected store specializing in Far Eastern art in the city of Manchester.

The fact that the British Museum has in its permanent collection two specimens of similar characteristics to the piece we are auctioning is a clear indicator of the importance that pieces of this kind may have had in Chinese society.

In turn, this fact reminds us of the fundamental role played by the imperial kilns, especially in the city of Jingdezhen, considered the capital of Chinese porcelain par excellence.