A FINE FAMILLE-ROSE 'FLOWER-BALL' BOWL SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF DAOGUANG

the rounded sides rising from a straight foot to an everted rim, finely decorated around the exterior with a profusion of multi-coloured 'flower-balls' arranged asymmetrically and scattered throughout, some freely floating, others overlapping in small clusters of two or three blooms, all carefully enamelled in soft pastels against a white ground, the base inscribed in iron-red with a six-character seal mark 

Collection formed before the 1930s in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.  

Apart from a few light scratches and surface wear on the interior, the bowl is in overall very 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."

Elegant abstracted floral decoration on fine white porcelain of this type can be credited to the Yongzheng emperor. His interest in Japanese works of art coupled with a bold search for new styles and porcelain aesthetics is reflected in this fresh and innovative design. By the Qianlong period this motif became fully incorporated into the decorative repertoire of a variety of materials and in porcelain it was produced in both the doucai  and famille rose palettes. The latter version is particularly enchanting, as seen in the present bowl, as it evokes early blossoms in spring scattered over fresh snow.

Compare Daoguang bowls of more flared form and with an iron red jing si tang zhi hallmark on the base; for example three were sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 20th March 1990, lot 808, another, 19th March 1991, lot 610, and the third, 29th September 1992, lot 590. See also a blue and white vase decorated with a similar design and a ribbon, in the Nanjing Museum, published in Treasures in the Royalty: The Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003, p. 392. For a Yongzheng prototype in the doucai palette, see two small bowls from the Meiyintang collection, sold in these rooms, 7th April 2011, lot 6.

The pattern of overlapping roundels appears to have had its origin in Japanese design, where circular heraldic family symbols of different patterns, called mon, adorned textiles, lacquer, ceramics and other works of art.