An exceptionally rare and large blue and white 'Immortals' double-gourd vase

An exceptionally rare and large blue and white 'Immortals' double-gourd vase
Jiajing six character mark and of the period
Heavily potted with tubular neck and large lower and smaller upper bulbs, supported on a splayed foot, deftly painted in vibrant tones of underglaze-blue around the exterior of the lower globular body with Daoist deities and Immortals with various attributes and gifts including Han Xiangzi with flute and Zhang Guolao with bamboo drum and sticks, enclosed by stiff-leaf and petal-form lappets, the waisted center with a scroll of lingzhi, the upper bulb with further immortals including Liu Hai on his three-legged toad crossing a sea of crested waves, between lappet bands, the narrow cylindrical neck with further scrolls of auspicious lingzhi fungus. 55.5cm (21 3/4in) high.