A SMALL WUCAI ‘SHOULAO’ DISH MARK AND PERIOD OF WANLI

with shallow rounded sides rising from a tapered foot to a flared rim, intricately painted to the interior with a central medallion enclosing Shoulao standing before a crane under a gnarled pine tree with an attendant beside in a garden landscape with colourful scrolling clouds, the cavetto with a foliate meander bearing lingzhi heads supporting stylised shou characters, painted to the exterior with eight floral sprays between a band of swirls and a double-line border, the base inscribed with a six-character reign mark within a double circle

J.T. Tai, New York, 1957.
Bluett & Sons Ltd, London, 1957 (£100).
Collection of Derek Ide (d. 1979), from 1957 to 1959 (£140).
Bluett & Sons Ltd, London, 1960 (£100).
Collection of Wilfried A. Evill (d. 1963), from 1960 to 1965 (£165).
Sotheby's London, 30th November 1965, lot 46 (£250).
Bluett & Sons Ltd, London, 1965 (£250).
Collection of Roger Pilkington (1928-69), from 1965.

The dish is in very good condition except for a shallow flake to the mouthrim on the exterior at around 12 o'clock position; the associated firing stain on the rim suggests it could be a firing flaw or have evolved from a firing burst bubble.
"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 finely enamelled piece belongs to a distinct group of porcelain dishes painted in either underglaze blue or wucai enamels with Daoists Immortals and a scroll of lingzhi supporting shou characters on the rim. Compare a closely related dish sold in these rooms, 12th/13th May 1976, lot 60.

A larger dish of this type, the interior decorated with the Three Star Gods, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, is illustrated in Porcelain of the National Palace Museum. Enamelled Ware of the Ming Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1966, vol. 3, pl. 107; another painted with an immortal riding a mule, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is published in The Complete Works of Chinese Ceramics. Ming Dynasty, Shanghai, 1999, vol. 13 (pt. 2), pl. 117, together with another in the Capital Museum, Beijing, pl. 116; and two further dishes were included in the exhibition The Fame of Flame. Imperial Wares of the Jiajing and Wanli Periods, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2009, pls. 114 and 115.

See also two blue-and-white dishes painted with a similar design, sold in these rooms, the first, 16th May 1977, lot 87, and again, 21st May 1979, lot 49, and the second, 16th May 1989, lot 123.