A pair of 'butterfly and peonies' dishes, Qing dynasty with Yongzheng mark.
For condition report contact specialist
The curved sides rising from a slightly tapered foot, painted to the interior with two butterflies amongst three flowering peony blooms in yellow, red and lavender, issuing from a large garden rock, the exterior painted with further peonies to one side and chrysanthemum to the other, both similarly issuing from rocks, the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark within a double circle. Diameter 21 cm.
Small fritt. An approximately 0,5 cm häriline to the center of the other. This is to the center top side. Appears to be under the glaze.
Otherwise good condition.
Provenance
From the Collection of Ester and Erik Holberg, K 64. Aquired from Hans Öströms samling lot no 2459.
From the Collection of Erik Holmberg, thence by descent. Bankdirektör Erik Holmberg was born in 1888 (died 1972), married to Ester Holmberg (?-1955). Erik Holmberg made a career at Svenska Handelsbanken and worked there as a Bank Manager up until his pension. He grew up in Trysil, Norway which came to make an impact upon him and he continued to enjoy nature, skiing and hiking throughout his life. He and his beloved wife Ester lived in a villa at Lidingö, Stockholm where he also kept his wooden sailboat Albertina.
Erik early on became fascinated with Asian Art, and was a true academic collector who had a curiosity and strive to learn more about the subject all the time, this is clearly visible in his catalogue cards about his pieces, all his letters to museum directors, dealers and other collectors and members of the China club at the time.
Set a part from his attraction to the Asian art he also collected Swedish contemporary ceramics from Stig Lindberg, Wilhelm Kåge and Bertil Friberg.
He was an active member of the Östasiatiska Museets vänner and he donated several of his contemporary Chinese paintings to the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm.