- 114
A RARE YELLOW-GROUND WUCAI ‘DRAGON’ DISH KANGXI MARK AND PERIOD
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- porcelain
the shallow rounded sides rising from a short tapered foot, painted to the interior with a central medallion enclosing a pair of blue and white five-clawed dragons writhing amongst flame wisps contesting a flaming pearl, the exterior decorated with four cranes in flight alternating with ruyi cloud scrolls, all reserved on an egg-yolk yellow round, the base inscribed with a six-character reign mark within a double-circle
Condition
A restored 8mm chip to the rim, with approximately 5mm of the original porcelain re-attached and two small areas of associated losses to either side. An area of approximately 11mm to the rim where some of the yellow enamel has flaked or worn off. The glaze with a faint crackle, with approximately extending over the rim and appearing as glaze lines or cracks. Some speckled black inclusions in the glaze.
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
A closely related pair of dishes was included in the Oriental Ceramic Society exhibition Ch’ing Polychrome Porcelain, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1977, cat. no. 35; and another pair was exhibited in Ch’ing Porcelain from the Wah Kwong Collection, Art Gallery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1973, cat. no 46. Further related dishes include a pair sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 18th May 1988, lot 298; a single dish sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 13th November 1990, lot 352; and another pair sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28th April 1997, lot 794. See also a white-ground dish decorated with this motif, sold in our New York rooms 18thJune 2013, lot 16.
This design of two five-clawed dragons chasing a flaming pearl originated in the Ming Dynasty; compare a Wanli mark and period dish illustrated in Geng Baochang, Ming Qing ciqi jianding, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 284.