A RARE IRON-RED GROUND UNDERGLAZE-BLUE SQUARE DISH MARK AND PERIOD OF JIAJING

the shallow rounded sides rising from a gently tapered foot to a flaring rim, the interior boldly painted in underglaze blue with a ferocious five-clawed dragon writhing amongst flames above tumultuous waves crashing on jagged mountains, below a shou character flanked by wan symbols on ruyi clouds, all enclosed within a double-line border repeated at the rim, the exterior with four Buddhist lions at play with brocade balls, all reserved against a rich dark iron-red ground save for the rim and the base, the base inscribed with a six-character reign mark in underglaze blue

Chen Chi, Japan.
Bluett & Sons Ltd, London, 1961.
Collection of Roger Pilkington (1928-69), from 1961 (£690).

Adrian Joseph, Ming Porcelains: Their Origins and Development, London, 1971, pl. 81.

The mouthrim has been slightly polished down. There are typical wear to the iron red, which has been retouched at a few places on the interior cavetto. The iron red on the exterior of the bottom right corner is of a slightly darker tone, probably due to original firing. The base has some characteristic glaze pulls.
"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 square dish is notable for its powerful design of a front-facing five-clawed dragon carrying a shou character on its back. While wares decorated in this colour scheme are known from as early as the Xuande reign (1426-35), the use of overglaze iron-red grew significantly during the Jiajing reign (1522-66), as in 1526 the use of underglaze copper red was forbidden by a decree.

Dishes of this form and decoration are unusual, although a slightly smaller example in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated Gugong bowuyuan cang gu taoci ziliao xuancui [Highlights of ceramic research material in the collection of the Palace Museum], Beijing, 2005, vol. 1, pl. 157. Compare also a larger square dish, similarly decorated with a front-facing white dragon reserved against an iron-red ground, in the Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts, published in Daisy Lion-Goldschmidt, Ming Porcelain, London, 1978, pl. 169.