A LARGE CELADON-GLAZED 'DRAGON' DISH YUAN DYNASTY

the robustly-potted curved sides rising from a short tapering foot to a broad everted dished rim, the interior with a medallion enclosing a sprig-moulded large scaly dragon in pursuit of a flaming pearl, encircled in the well with an incised scroll band and carved to the exterior with a stiff lotus petal band, covered overall in an olive-green glaze thinning to a buff tone at the moulded highlights, the footring unglazed and burnt orange in the firing 

Bluett & Sons, London (paper label to the base).

Helsinki, Finland, 1956, cat. no.142.

Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Ceramics in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1964, pl. 144.

With the exception of: a slight warp to the body; several small glaze pulls to the edge of the rim; rubbing to the glaze to the base in the interior; several pinhead-sized glaze holes to the interior and exterior; a small piece of adhered kiln grit to the lower side of the exterior; overall glaze scratches and minor firing and glaze imperfections, the dish is in good overall condition.
"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 very similar dish recovered from a ship wreck off the coast of Korea in the first half of the fourteenth century is illustrated in Relics Salvaged from the Seabed of Sinan. Materials I, Seoul, 1985, pl. 83; several examples from the Topkapi Saray Museum are included in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, vol. 1, London, 1986, nos. 58-62; and one from the British Museum is published in Oriental Ceramics. The World's Great Collections, vol. 5, Tokyo, 1981, pl. 132.

Compare also a dish sold in these rooms, 8^th November 2006, lot 8; one sold at Christie's New York, 18^th September 2003, lot 285; another sold in our New York rooms, 22^nd March 1995, lot 233; and a fourth example sold in these rooms, 7^th December 1993, lot 214.