A BLUE AND WHITE 'FISH' JARDINIEREQING DYNASTY, KANGXI PERIOD |

the steeply rounded sides rising to an everted, lipped rim, the exterior well painted in shaded tones of underglaze-blue with four large fan-tailed fish, a carp, mandarin fish and two kinds of bream, swimming in varying poses amongst an array of aquatic plants, set between double lines, coll. no 239.

Stockspring Antiques, London, 1999.

Jeffrey P. Stamen, Cynthia Volk with Yibin Ni, A Culture Revealed, Kangxi-Era Chinese Porcelain from the Jie Rui Tang Collection, Bruges, 2017, cat. no. 83.

In overall good condition. With light wear and a few minor glaze flaws consistent with age and type.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The depiction of these four plump fish forms a well-known rebus, qingbai lianjie, which translates as 'pure and incorruptible' signifying a wish for scholarly success.  A blue and white fishbowl with the same subject matter in the Palace Museum, Beijing is illustrated in Gugong Bowuyuan Cang Qingdai Ciqi Leixuan Qing Shunzhi Kangxi Chao Qinghuaci [Selected Chinese Ceramics from the Palace Museum: Blue and White Ceramics in Shunzhi and Kangxi Periods], vol. I, Beijing 2004, pl. 251.