A VERY FINE DOUCAI 'ANBAXIAN' OGEE BOWL SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG

the bowl of ogee form rising from a tapered foot, the interior with a flat central well decorated with an interlinked scroll border enclosing a swirled roundel issuing alternating yellow and blue flames, surrounded by four peaches born on the leafy scroll border, the cavetto finely decorated with the anbaxian emblems, each accentuated with billowing ribbons, the exterior brightly decorated with eight stylised floral blooms borne on undulating leafy scrolls above a border of ruyi-heads alternating with upright lappets, the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character seal mark

S. Marchant & Son, London.

Recent Acquisitions 2010, S. Marchant & Son, London, 2010, cat. no. 41.

The dish is in overall exceptionally fine condition with insignificant surface wear. The enamels with occasional original bubbles and crackles have been generally beautifully preserved.
"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 bowl is an exquisite example of porcelain wares decorated in the doucai technique, notable for the varying shades of green and combination of blue enamel with underglaze blue to create a more visually rich piece. Before the Kangxi Emperor, blue on ceramics only appeared in underglaze cobalt; however during the Kangxi Emperor's reign blue enamel was imported from Europe before being produced locally from the sixth year of Yongzheng. While a common feature of famille-verte and falangcai porcelain, it is not commonly seen on doucai wares, which typically only incorporated underglaze blue.  

A bowl of this type in the Nanjing Museum, was included in the exhibition Qing Imperial Porcelain of the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong Reigns, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1995, cat. no. 106; another in the Tokyo National Museum, is published in the Illustrated Catalogue of Tokyo National Museum. Chinese Ceramics, vol. 2, Tokyo, 1990, pl. 592, together with two bowls of this type with Jiaqing and Daoguang marks and of the respective periods; a pair from the Umezawa Kinenkan, Tokyo, was included in the exhibition Shinsho tōji, MOA Art Museum, Atami, 1984, cat. no. 44; and a further pair from the Toguri Museum of Art, Tokyo, was sold in these rooms, 9th June 2004, lot 2. For a bowl pencilled with this design in underglaze blue only, see two sold in these rooms, one, 29th May 1978, lot 632, and the other, 21st May 1982, lot 714.