元 青花魚藻紋盤

sturdily potted with rounded sides rising from a short foot to an everted barbed rim, painted with vivid shades of cobalt-blue to the interior with a fish swimming amongst waterweeds and other aquatic plants, all encircled by a meandering lotus scroll and a diaper band at the rim, the exterior decorated with a lappet band

This large and impressive dish has a 7 x 10mm., rim chip to the underside with an associated 7cm., long hairline rim crack, a circa 24cm., crescent-shaped hairline glaze crack from seven to one o'clock, and minor glaze firing imperfections including iron-spots and glaze pin holes and light glaze scratches.
"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."

魚藻紋屬典型元代紋飾，惟如此盤葵口式形制器屬少見。有一花口作例，尺寸較小，同飾魚藻紋，錄於葉佩蘭，《元代瓷器》，北京，1998年，圖版117。另一相類圓盤作例，紋飾相若，載於《世界之青花》，第1冊，京都，1981年，圖版37。

存世有不少類同作例，但畫風各異。伊斯坦堡托普卡帕宮博物館有一相類作例，錄於康蕊君，《托普卡帕宮博物館的中國瓷器》，第II冊，倫敦，1986年，圖版568。東京出光美術館另有一例，載於《中國之陶磁：第8卷，元、明之青花》，東京， 1995年，圖版15。還有一例，上釉前魚於紋上刻「春」字，出自阿德比爾寺舊藏，現存德黑蘭伊朗國家博物館，刋於 John Alexander Pope，《Chinese Porcelains from the Ardebil Shrine》，華盛頓，1956年，圖版9。尚有一例出自玫茵堂，載於康蕊君，《玫茵堂藏中國陶瓷》，第2冊，倫敦，1994年，圖版635，曾售於香港蘇富比2012年4月4日，編號17。