A CELADON-GLAZED 'CHRYSANTHEMUM' DISH MARK AND PERIOD OF YONGZHENG

crisply moulded in the form of a chrysanthemum flower, with forty-four fluted petals forming the sides and gently curving upwards to the foliate rim, the lobing continuing to the exterior of the wide foot, covered overall with a pale sea-green glaze, thinning on the raised surfaces to highlight the decoration, the base glazed white with the six-character mark inscribed in underglaze-blue

The Leshantang Collection of Chinese Porcelain, Taipei, 2005, cat.no. 36.

There are four hairline cracks extending down from the rim, the longest of which is approx 2.5cm. Otherwise the dish is in good condition overall. There are some small burst air bubbles to the rim, and a few small areas of kiln firing impurities on the foot. There is very light black speckling to the celadon glaze. The actual colour is quite close to the colour of the dish depicted in the catalogue.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

It is rare to find chrysanthemum-shaped dishes of the Yongzheng period, although an identical celadon-glazed dish was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 28th October 2002, lot 711; and another, published in The Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003, p. 180, is pictured amongst a group of seven different coloured Yongzheng chrysanthemum dishes. 

Chrysanthemum dishes were produced in complete sets of twelve colours. Palace records show that in 1733 the Yongzheng emperor ordered Nian Xiyao, then superintendent of the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen, to make twelve differently coloured chrysanthemum-shaped dishes. Records show that Nian delivered forty pieces of each colour. (Regina Krahl, ibid., p. 431.) A full set of twelve Yongzheng chrysanthemum dishes was included in the exhibition China. The Three Emperors, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2005, pl. 172.

For a later example of a celadon-glazed chrysanthemum dish see a Qianlong dish of similar size formerly from the E. T. Hall collection, included in the Oriental Ceramic Society exhibition Iron in the Fire, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 1988, cat. no. 83, and sold in these rooms, 2nd May 2000, lot 554. Unlike chrysanthemum dishes created during the Yongzheng reign, the petals of those produced during the Qianlong period are considerably less pointed but smoothly rounded.