A CINNABAR LACQUER 'MELONS' TRAY YUAN DYNASTY

of oval form, deeply carved through to the buff coloured ground on the interior with four fully ripe melons surrounded by broad naturalistic leaves, the exterior carved with 'classic scroll', the underside lacquered in black and inscribed in red with the characters Xi Yuan  ('Western Garden')

The dish has expected age cracks and chips. The cracks have been stabilized but very little restoration and repairs have been done.
"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."

Lacquer dishes carved with melons in this distinctive style are very rare and only three other examples appear to be recorded: one from the collection of A. Giuganino, Rome, included in the exhibition Chinese Lacquer from the Jean-Pierre Dubosc Collection and Others, Eskenazi, London, 1992, cat. no. 20, and sold at Christie's London, 15^th May 2007, lot 92; another sold in our New York rooms, 8^th April 1988, lot 350; and the third dish offered in our New York rooms, 18^th September 2007, lot 29.

Melons were introduced as a decorative motif from the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) where they appeared on blue and white porcelains in considerable quantity; an example of a dish painted with melons, in the Tianminlou collection, is illustrated in Zhongguo taoci quanji, vol. 11, Shanghai, 2000, pl. 166. The design of boldly painted fruiting melon sprays enclosed by broad leaves and tendrils as seen on the present dish first appeared on Ming vessels; see a dish attributed to the Yongle period (1403-24), from the Ip Yee Collection and included in the Min Chiu Society exhibition An Anthology of Chinese Ceramics, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1980, cat. no. 73, sold in these rooms, 19^th November 1984, lot 177. Another similar dish, in the British Museum, London, is published in Jessica Harrison-Hall, Ming Ceramics, London, 2001, pl. 3:34.

A similarly carved lacquer dish, decorated with a large gardenia flower amongst thick leaves, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Wang Shixiang, Ancient Chinese Lacquerware, Beijing, 1987, pl. 40.