A CHINESE DOUCAI 'MANDARIN DUCK' BOWL

YONGZHENG 1723-35

The U-shaped body raised on a short circular foot, with a scene of mandarin ducks swimming and flying amidst lotus flowers painted to the exterior in coloured enamels, the interior with a border of green cell-diaper containing four panels of lotus, with a medallion mirroring the exterior design to the centre, the base with a six character Chenghua mark and a paper label for John Sparks, together with a paper card from John Sparks, 18.5cm.

Provenance: John Sparks Ltd; from an English private collection, north London.

Cf. J Ayers, Chinese Ceramics: The Koger Collection, p.147, no.120 for a smaller bowl from the Yongzheng period with a similar design and a Chenghua mark; see also Sotheby's London, 11th May 2016, lot 119, for a similar example.