This porcelain kendi has a highly unique disc-shaped flange and is derived from metalwork forms. This kendi features underglaze blue decoration of insects flying among sprays of flowering prunus, lotus, camellia and aster between horizontal bands of flames on its bulbous body. The base of the neck is decorated with upright leaves and the flange with flowering prunus sprays within a band of flames. The disc-shaped flank might be purely decorative or serves more practical purposes such as to protect the fragile tip from breaking or to carry away excess dripping from the sprout. This form of kendi with such flange was virtually unknown before this piece was salvaged by Captain M. Hatcher in a wrecked Chinese junk in the South China Sea.
