A DOUCAI 'NARCISSUS' DISH MARK AND PERIOD OF YONGZHENG

finely potted with shallow curved sides resting on a slightly tapered foot, exquisitely painted in brilliant enamels to the interior with a central medallion containing narcissus growing among rocks, their leaves in contrasted tones of yellowish and darker green and the numerous flowers and buds on each stem in white enamel with lemon-yellow centres and purple-tipped calyxes, the pierced ornamental rocks finely drawn in delicate shades of cobalt-blue with a bough laden with two full clusters of red nandina berries arching to one side and a small tuft of purple lingzhi below, all within a double line border repeated at the rim, the exterior painted with further blue rocks, two with lingzhi with contrasted red, yellow and purple heads, together with bamboo and narcissus and the third with nandina berries, all between underglaze-blue double-line borders, the base inscribed with a six-character mark in underglaze-blue within a double circle

Formerly in a Japanese Collection.

Apart from a minute burst air bubble on the interior on the blue line border around the central decoration (located at one o'clock in the photo), the overall condition is very good.
"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."

A dish of this design was included in the exhibition The Hundred Flowers. Botanical Motifs in Chinese Art, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, 1985, cat. no. 46, where the elegant flower motif is explained by Bartholomew as a rebus which can be translated 'Fungus Fairy bestows birthday greetings.'  Similar dishes are also published in Spencer, Selected Chinese Ceramics from Han to Qing Dynasties, Taipei, 1990, pl. 137, from the Chang Foundation, Taipei, previously sold in these rooms, 20th May 1987, lot 537; in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyantang Collection, London, 1994, vol. II, pl. 765; and in Nakazawa, Chinese Ceramics in the Toguri Museum of Art, Orientations, April 1988, fig. 19.   Also compare with a similar dish from the British Rail Pension Fund Collection, sold in these 16th May 1989, lot 69 and again 1st November 1999, lot 364.

This design of flowers and rocks is also known from two kesi panels, probably of earlier date, woven with the name of the Song painter Cui Po, one from the Imperial Collection, included in the Ilustrated Catalogue of Chinese Government Exhibits for the International Exhibition of Chinese Art in London, 1935, vol. IV, no. 11; the other from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, included in the exhibition The Arts of the Ming Dynasty, The Detroit Institute of Arts, 1952, cat. no. 328.