A RARE AND LARGE CHINESE EXPORT 'BOTANICAL' CHARGER, QING DYNASTY, YONGZHENG/ QIANLONG PERIOD, CIRCA 1735 |

delicately and meticulously painted in the center with a butterfly hovering above a spray of blue iris and pink clematis with two crawling caterpillars, the rim decorated with a bold elaborate scrolling foliate border 

In overall good condition with some expected firimg imperfections, the purple enamels slightly overfired. Overall with minor wear to the enamels and gilding. The un-decorated area of the center with some very minor discolored firing faults as seen in the catalouge illustration.
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.

Perhaps one of the most recognizable examples of the botanical subject plates in Chinese export porcelain, the design of the present example was often attributed to Maria Sibylla Merian (1646-1717). A trained botanist with a father who was an engraver, Merian traveled to the Dutch West Indies in 1698 to collect specimens for her well-known illustrated book Histoire Generale des Insectes de Surinam et de toute l'Europe. However, this attribution was challenged by Christiaan J. A. Jörg, Chinese Ceramics in the Collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam: The Ming and Qing Dynasties, Amsterdam, 1997, cat. no. 334, where the author notes that no source print has been found yet from the collection of Merian's works. One example of the same size with later decoration was sold in these rooms, September 14, 1972, lot 261, previously in the Fonthill Heirlooms collection at Fonthill Abbey. A smaller example with the same decoration was in the Collection of Khalil Rizk, sold in these rooms, April 25, 2008, lot 131. Another example was sold at Christie's New York, January 18, 2017, lot 313.