Blue-and-white Cup with Floral Design in the Bottom

The so-called “press-hand” cup was an innovation of the official kiln at Jingdezhen in the Yongle era. In the form of a tiny bowl, it has a slightly flaring mouth rim, straight sides tapering to a round bottom and trim foot ring. The high-quality craftsmanship contributes to the elegant and simple shape. Both the interior and exterior have blue-and-white glaze designs. The blue color is deep and pure. On the inside of the cup is a mark of a mallow blossom with four characters in archaic seal script (zhuan shu) reading “Made in the Yongle reign” (Yongle nian zhi). On the outside wall, below the mouth is a line of plum blossoms. The stomach has patterns of interlocking lotus. Characterized by thick clay and a heavy body, the press-hand cup is named for the way it is easily held in the hand since the bottom is heavy and the mouth is slightly curled.
This press-hand cup is a significant evidence to confirm a Ming dynasty record on porcelains. GuYingtai (1620-1690) described in his bookGeneral Review of Artifacts (Bowu Yaolan) the following,   The press-hand cup made in the Yongle era has a flat mouth, tapering body, sandy foot and smooth bottom. The painting on the first-class cup is of two lions playing with a ball. Inside the ball are four tiny characters, reading “Made in the Yongle era of the great Ming dynasty” (daming yongle nian zhi). The one with mandarin ducks is the second class, while the third-class cup has a painting of flowers. The cup with pure color and exquisite shape is highly priced and worthy of treasuring.   The Palace Museum has cups with all three designs mentioned in the record. One with a picture of mandarin ducks in lotus was an imitation done during the Wanli reign (1573-1620). Only three cups in the Palace Museum collection have the Yongle Emperor’s reign mark.