Two Chinese blanc de Chine libation cups Kangxi 1662-1722

Two Chinese blanc de Chine libation cups Kangxi 1662-1722, each of flared oval form and moulded with prunus branches, raised on twig feet, one English-decorated in red and green enamels with extensions to the flowering branches, a crowing cockerel to each side, a small tapered mug later-enamelled with a red scale pattern between simple yellow and red floral bands on green, and a moulded mug or jug with a ruyi band to the shoulder and foot, later gilded with a continuous foliate garland and hanging swags to the neck, 12cm max. (4)

Provenance: the Helen Espir Collection, nos. 403, 895, 513 and 903.

Illustrated: Stephen Hanscombe, The Early James Giles and his Contemporary London Decorators, p.47, no.2. Also, Helen Espir, European Decoration on Oriental Porcelain, p.212, pl.11 for the small mug.

Cf. European Decoration on Oriental Porcelain, p.209, pl.5 for a mug with the crowing cockerel pattern from the Victoria and Albert Museum.

It is possible that the larger mug was decorated at the Chamberlain's workshop in Worcester in the 1780s. The shape of this piece is very similar to the leaf-moulded 'Dutch' jugs produced at Worcester, although the shape actually derives from English silver tankards. The cockerel decoration on the libation cup derives from English stoneware of the early 18th century. It is interesting to compare the early 18th century decoration on the Dehua pieces with the later gilding and note the total change in style and influence.