Asian Art I - 21st May 2014

Lot 218

A Chinese yellow ground 'happiness' dish four character Tongzhi mark in iron-red and probably of...

Estimate £1,500 - £2,500 | Hammer £8500

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Description

A Chinese yellow ground 'happiness' dish four character Tongzhi mark in iron-red and probably of the period, and three similar spoons, decorated with a design for the wedding of the Dowager Empress Cixi's son, Zaichun, brightly enamelled in iron red with rows of xi characters radiating from a central shou character, all reserved on a bright yellow ground, the reverse with flower sprays, 22.4cm. (4)

Provenance: formerly in a private Swedish collection, purchased in China in 1956.

Cf. R Longsdorf, The Tongzhi Imperial Wedding Porcelain, included in Chinese Ceramics, Selected Articles from Orientations 1982-1998, p.369, fig.19, where bowls of this pattern are illustrated.