A YELLOW-GROUND BLUE AND WHITE 'FLOWER SCROLL' DISH CHUXIUGONG MARK, GUANGXU PERIOD

the centre decorated in underglaze-blue with a single peony flower, surrounded by four lotus blooms borne on a dense continuous foliate scroll with attendant buds, all encircled within a double-lined border with gilding stopping before the mouthrim, the exterior with further alternating lotus bloom and dense scrolls, all reserved on a bright lemon-yellow ground, the base inscribed with chu xiu gong zhi in underglaze-blue

Constantinidi Collection of Yellow-Ground Porcelains, Oriental, Continental and English, Sotheby's London, 8th July 1947, lot 7.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 18th May 1988, lot 294.
Georg Weishaupt Collection, Berlin.

Georg Weishaupt, The Great Fortune Chinese and Japanese Porcelain of the 19th and 20th Centuries and Their Forerunners, Stuttgart, 2003, cat. no. 29.

There are some heavy scratches to the blue enameled flowers on the interior. There is a 1 cm shallow rim frit on the exterior. The yellow enamels near the rim on the exterior have some minor firing bubbles. The dish is very slightly warped. There appears to be a small 1 cm hairline crack on the base below the mark, but it is not visible on the interior. The overall condition is still quite 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."

The Chuxiugong (Palace of Gathering Elegance) is one of the six Western palaces in the Forbidden City, favoured by the Empress Dowager Cixi (b.1835-1908) and her chief residence between 1856-1885.  Cixi had the palace lavishly refurbished on her 50th birthday in 1884. Compare also, a massive yellow-ground dragon dish with similar mark, sold Sotheby's London, 19th June 2002, lot 70.  See also a large blue and white charger sold in our New York rooms 23rd March 2004, lot 651. 

The ceramic wares made for the Chuxiugong were often large and monumental.  According to Ronald W. Longsdorf in his article "The Tongzhi Imperial Wedding Porcelain", Orientations, October 1996, pp. 69-78, these wares were also largely based on Kangxi period prototypes. These wares also bear Chuxiugong zhi marks inscribed in a bold archaic script.