清康熙 外鬪彩內五彩雙龍爭珠紋盤一對 《大清康熙年製》款

potted with shallow sides resting on a low foot, each applied with varying tones of underglaze blue and enamels of iron-red, green, yellow and aubergine, the interior decorated with a pair of ferocious five-clawed dragons, one depicted descending and the other upright and reaching for a 'flaming pearl', the exterior with four cranes in flight divided by dense scrolling clouds, inscribed to the base with a six-character reign mark within a double-circle

香港蘇富比1981年11月24日，編號168
香港佳士得1990年10月8日，編號447

The saucers are in overall fine condition with expected minute kiln frits and flaws to the footring of one.
"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."

A closely related dish, from the Qing court collection and still in Beijing, is illustrated in Gugong bowiyuan cang. Qingdai yuyao ciqi [Qing Porcelains from the Imperial Kilns Preserved in the Palace Museum], Beijing, 2005, vol. 1, pl. 68; a pair was included in the exhibition Ch’ing Porcelain from the Wah Kwong Collection, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1973, cat. no. 46, and possibly the same that sold in these rooms, 31st October 1995, lot 489; a single dish was sold twice in these rooms, 26th October 1993, lot 136, and 1st May 2001, lot 596; and another was sold at Christie’s New York, 3rd June 1993, lot 270.

The combination of dragons painted in famille-verte on the interior and the exterior in doucai, with cranes flying amongst clouds, was inspired by Ming dynasty wares; see a Wanli mark and period dish, painted with a similar design illustrated in Geng Baochang, Ming Qing ciqi jianding, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 284; and another with a yellow ground, in the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, illustrated in The Complete Works of Chinese Ceramics. Ming, vol. 13, pt. 2, Shanghai, 2000, pl. 118. This motif continued to be employed in the Yongzheng reign, as seen on a pair of Yongzheng mark and period dishes sold twice in these rooms, 29th November 1977, lot 127, and 17th May 1988, lot 95.