A RARE UNDERGLAZE-BLUE AND YELLOW-ENAMELLED 'LOTUS BOUQUET' CHARGER MARK AND PERIOD OF YONGZHENG |

rising from a short tapered foot to a lipped rim, painted in various shades of cobalt blue against a bright yellow ground, the interior with a beribboned bouquet of lotus and other water plants, encircled by a composite floral scroll, all below a classic scroll border, the exterior similarly decorated with a slightly different composite floral scroll, between key-fret and classic scroll bands, the base enamelled yellow and inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark within a double circle reserved on white, wood stand

The rim has an approx. 8 cm hairline crack at 12 o'clock position. There are surface scratches to the interior and minor firing imperfections, including small glaze gaps to the base.
"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."

Both the lotus-bouquet design of this dish and the yellow and blue colour scheme are borrowed from early Ming prototypes that were developed at the Jingdezhen imperial kilns in the Yongle and Xuande periods. The combination is, however, not known from the Ming period. In the Yongzheng and Qianlong reigns this design was revived and produced in various dimensions, the present dish being of the largest size, of which only three others appear to have been sold at auction, one in our London rooms, 2nd March 1971, lot 190; another at Christie's London, 10th July 1978, lot 47; and a third sold at Christie's New York, 2nd December 1986, lot 206 and more recently in these rooms, 7th April 2011, lot 74, from the Meiyintang collection.

Compare also three smaller related examples, one illustrated in John Ayers, Chinese Ceramics. The Koger Collection, London, 1985, pl. 122; two from the collection of Edward T. Chow, sold in these rooms, 19th May 1981, lots 583 and 584, the latter also from the collection or Sir Quo-Wei Lee, more recently sold in these rooms, 3rd October 2018, lot 108.

For the blue and white Yongle prototypes see two dishes from the Meiyintang collection, illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994-2010, vol. 2, nos 665 and 666.