AN EXTREMELY RARE CLOISONNE ENAMEL 'LOTUS' DISH MARK AND PERIOD OF JINGTAI |

robustly cast with shallow rounded sides rising from a straight foot to a flared rim, the interior decorated with a central medallion of a seeded pod encircled by two rows of radiating lotus lappets, enclosed amongst stylised leafy sprays of lotus, the interior well and exterior similarly decorated with large multi-coloured lotus blooms wreathed by leafy scrolls, all reserved against a turquoise ground, skirted around the foot with a classic scroll, the gilt base incised with a horizontal six-character reign mark

Christie's London, 15th May 2007, lot 119.

The dish is in very good condition, with just minute areas of retouching. As visible in the catalogue photo, there is rubbing to the gilding at the rim and scratching to the underside.
"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 classic design, with the lotus medallion at the centre, comprised of a lotus pod with articulated seeds and radiating petals, is found on several examples dating to the Xuande period. See a Xuande reign-marked disc originally in the collections of Stephen Winkworth and Sir Percival David, now in the Uldry collection at the Rietberg Museum, illustrated in Helmut Brinker and Albert Lutz, Chinese cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, London, 1989, pl. 1, along with several boxes featuring the same motif, ibid, pls 2-4. A striking aspect of the present dish is the double-row of twelve radiating petals surrounding the pod. A comparable example with incised Jingtai six-character mark was sold in our London rooms, 14th July 1981, lot 12. A slightly larger dish, diameter 26 cm, sold in our London rooms, 29th October 1982, lot 14, is now in the Uldry collection, illustrated in Brinker and Lutz, ibid, pl. 14, with very similar decoration and a double-vajra incised to the gilded underside. Compare also another Jingtai-marked dish, first sold at Christie’s New York, 3rd June 1988, lot 44, and most recently at Christie’s London, 7th November 2006, lot 2682.

There has been speculation in the past that Jingtai reign-marked wares of the quality of the current dish, stylistically identical to Xuande wares, are in fact of the Xuande period but with later incised marks. Cloisonné enamel wares with apocryphal Jingtai marks are also frequently found, especially from the Qianlong period, when Imperial records detail the specific order to inscribe vessels with Jingtai marks.

The delicately incised Jingtai six-character mark on the current dish is identical to that on a circular cloisonné enamel box and cover in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, similarly enamelled with lotus flowers, and catalogued as Jingtai mark and period, illustrated in Enamel Ware in the Ming and Ch'ing Dynasty, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1999, cat. no. 1.