A WUCAI 'DRAGON AND PHOENIX' DISH MARK AND PERIOD OF WANLI

the shallow rounded sides rising from a low, tapered foot to an everted rim, vividly decorated in the wucai palette, the interior with an ascending five-clawed dragon pursuing a 'flaming pearl', confronting a descending phoenix flying toward a foliate peony, within line borders repeated at the rim, further encircled around the cavetto by a continuous scroll of eight large blossoms in alternating green, iron-red and yellow enamels, the exterior similarly painted with the babao between double lines at the rim and foot, the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark within double circles

Hakutsuru Collection, Hyogo.

There is typical fritting (approx. 2 cm) in one area of the rim. The base has some short firing lines (the longest of approx. 2 cm across the character 'li' ). Apart from a few body lines, minor iron spots and pin-prick air bubbles, the dish is in overall quite good 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."

Dishes of this type are known in a variety of sizes; see a slightly smaller example sold in our London rooms, 26^th June 1973, lot 233; a larger dish illustrated in John Ayers, The Baur Collection, vol. 2, Geneva, 1969, pl. A199; and another much larger example in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, published in Suzanne G. Valenstein, A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1989, pl. 185.