A FINE PAIR OF FAMILLE-ROSE ENAMELLED YELLOW SGRAFFIATO GROUND 'RAM' MEDALLION BOWLS DAOGUANG SEAL MARKS AND PERIOD

each body with deep rounded sides rising from a short straight foot to a slightly everted rim, finely enamelled around the exterior with three medallions each enclosing a ram, all reserved on a bright yellow sgraffiato ground and divided by precious objects, the interior painted in underglaze-blue with a medallion enclosing three rams and encircled in the well by four leafy floral sprays, the base with a seal mark in underglaze-blue

Both bowls are in excellent condition with the exception of extremely minute flaking to the yellow enamels. There are very minor colour discrepancies between the two bowls. The bowl with a slightly yellower body with minor iron spots around the interior, rim and on the base below the mark.
"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."

This pair of bowls is notable for the sensitively rendered motif of three rams in landscape. While bowls decorated in famille-rose enamels with medallions enclosing various scenes reserved on a coloured sgraffiato ground were made at the Jingdezhen kilns from as early as the Qianlong period (1735-1796), those decorated with three rams became increasingly popular in the Daoguang period (1821-1850).

A closely related bowl from the Ohlmer collection in the Roemer Museum, Hildesheim, is illustrated in Ulrich Wiesner, Chinesisces Porzellan, Mainz, 1981, cat. no. 143; another is illustrated in W.G. Gulland, Chinese Porcelain, London, 1911, vol. 1, pl. 404; a pair was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 5^th November 1996, lot 895, another pair was sold in our New York rooms, 26^th March 1996, lot 216; and a further bowl was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 23^rd October 2005, lot 542, and again at Christie’s Hong Kong, 31^st May 2010.

For the prototype of this design, compare a pair of Jiaqing mark and period bowls from the T.Y. Chao collection, illustrated in Michel Beurdeley and Guy Reindre, Qing Porcelain, London, 1987, pl. 242, and sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 18^th May 1981, lot 594.