THREE FAMILLE-VERTE 'BIRD' DISHES QING DYNASTY, KANGXI PERIOD

one painted with a pair of phoenix amid rockwork and peony within a cell diaper border enclosing floral reserves; two dishes similarly painted, each with a pair of song birds perched on flowering peony, a green stippled border with prunus boughs reserving buddhist lions (3)

Pair of dishes: Collection of the Seattle Art Museum.
Sotheby's New York, 5th November 1977, lot 232.
Christie's London, 22nd June 1981, lot 54.
Sotheby's London, 17th June 1998, lot 384.
Single dish: Sotheby's London, 17th June 1998, lot 389.

Large dish - 2 cm shallow chip to the rim edge, mostly visible on the underside. Numerous discolored frits to the glaze around the rim. Some surface wear to the enamels in the center. Pair of Song bird dishes - one has numerous scattered small shallow chips and glaze frits around the rim edge; the other has a shallow 1 cm rim chip and a small patch of misfired glaze on the rim edge. Both Song bird dishes have some minor black speckling to the glaze overall and on both the transparent green enamel over the black has fired very thick and dark and has patches of pulling and flaking.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.