A CHINESE EXPORT PUNCH BOWL circa 1750-60

the gilt floral and foliate-scroll ground reserved on the front and reverse with an oval panel painted with either eight figures enjoying a fête champêtre beneath two putti playing with a dolphin, or a peasant lady observing a gentleman whistling at a pair of fashionable sweethearts being further observed by a man accompanying another peasant lady riding on a horse, the sides reserved with a shaped square panel of either a cock perched on a branch amidst flowering plants, or a pair of blackbirds perched on branches, and the interior with colorful butterflies flitting around a lush flowering branch beneath a gilt shell-and-foliate-scroll border around the rim.  Hair cracks on the rim.

Sold, Sotheby's, London, October 27, 1970, lot 42
Mrs. Helen Glatz, London
The collection of Mr. and Mrs. Rafi Y. Mottahedeh, New York, sold, Sotheby's, New York, January 30, 1985, lot 233

Richmond, The Mottahedeh Collection, 1981-82
New York, China for the West, 1984

David Howard and John Ayers, China for the West, Vol. II, pp. 374 and 375, no. 368
François and Nicole Hervouët, and Yves Bruneau, La Porcelaine des Compagnies des Indes a Décor Occidental, pp. 170 and 197, nos. 7.83 and 9.8, respectively

4 3/8-inch haircrack in center of seated couple panel, a 4 inch haircrack in same panel running through the two putti, a 3 1/2-inch haircrack at edge of same panel with small touched up chip, gilt ground on exterior in good condition, interior with section of cobalt speckling (1" x 8 inches), slight wear to enamels in interior.
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.

Hervouët and Bruneau, who illustrate both scenes on this bowl (see Literature above), comment on p. 170 that the fête champêtre scene is taken "from a painting by [Jean Baptiste Joseph] Pater [1695-1736], entitled 'Assemblée dans un parc'," and the central couple reappears on a later-decorated reticulated plate of circa 1790-1810 illustrated ibid., p. 413, no. 17.11.  The authors indicate on p. 197 that the other scene is based on Le Baiser rendu, a story by Jean de La Fontaine (1621-95), illustrated in an engraving by F. Depollier, aîné Donné [in fact, originally by Pierre Filloeul (1696-1755)] entitled 'Le Baiser Donné,' also after a painting by Pater.