Three Chinese blanc de Chine English-decorated beakers c.1700

Three Chinese blanc de Chine English-decorated beakers c.1700, the flared octagonal forms moulded with leaf panels around the foot, one with the Chinese Daoist Eight Immortals, all later-enamelled in red, green and black with peony, chrysanthemum and other flower sprays, the Immortals beaker with highlights to the existing decoration, and a Japanese octagonal beaker with four panels of tied flowers in the Kakiemon manner, 6.8cm. (4)

Provenance: the Helen Espir Collection, nos. 360, 515, 414 and 893.

Illustrated: Helen Espir, European Decoration on Oriental Porcelain, p.211, pl.8 for the Japanese beaker.

Cf. European Decoration on Oriental Porcelain, p.210, pl.7 for beakers with floral decoration in the British Museum. The Museum's examples of Immortals beakers are illustrated on p. 212, pl.10.

Large numbers of blanc de Chine beakers were imported from Dehua to Europe at the turn of the 18th century and many were enamelled with these simple colours in the Japanese manner. The Japanese beaker in this lot shows the sort of decoration that was inspiring English enamellers.