The shallow, rounded sides rising to an everted rim, incised on the interior with a sccaly five-clawed dragon writhing amidst clouds in pursuit of a flaming pearl below two dragons on the sides, and with two further dragons to the exterior, all under a deep aubergine glaze. Diameter 25 cm.
Chips.
The Collection of Gustaf Wallenberg (1863-1939). The collection was acquired between 1906 and 1918 when Wallenberg was the Swedish Envoyé in Tokyo, from 1907 he was also accredit for Beijing. Thence by descent.
J Ayers suggests that "these dishes are part of an imperial dragon service, continuing a style instituted under the Ming, althought the colour is relatively new".
J. Ayers, Chinese Ceramics, The Koger Collection, London, 1985, pl 172, no 144.
Compare a similar dish sold at Christies, New York, September 19th 2006 from the Kogger Collection. Also compare with a dish of identical size that was included in the exhibition catalogue, The Wonders of the Potters Palette, Qing Ceramics from the Collection of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1984, pl 74, no 36.