A FINE AND RARE PAIR OF WUCAI 'CARP' DISHES QING DYNASTY, EARLY 18TH CENTURY

each well potted with rounded sides colourfully painted on the interior of the central well with a pair of iron-red enameled carp frolicking in a lotus pond, encircled on the cavetto with five other fish depicted in various poses swimming amidst water weeds and lotus, the exterior similarly painted with five further swimming carps, the base inscribed with the four-character mark zai chuan zhi le ('Discovering joy in the river (by fish)')

The overall condition is very good. The enameling has almost no scratches.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Wucai dishes with this decoration are quite rare.  Only a small group of these dishes are in noted collections including in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Kangxi Porcelain Wares, Shanghai Museum, 1998, cat.no. 179; two in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, with the same mark, illustrated in Qingdai Taoci Daquan, Taipei, 1986, pp. 116 and 117; and one in the Beijing Palace Museum, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures in the Palace Museum,  Hong Kong, 1999, cat.no. 134.  An almost identical dish with an apocryphal Jiajing mark in the Shanghai Museum is illustrated in op.cit. 178. 

The dish is based on the Jiajing prototype, which can be seen on a dish in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Good Fortune, Long Life, Health and Peace: A Special Exhibition of Porcelains with Auspicious Designs, Taipei, 1995, cat.no. 71 and a related one in the Percival David Foundation, illustrated in Stacey Pierson, Designs as Signs: Decoration and Chinese Ceramics, Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 2001, cat.no. 7. 

The phrase on the base of the dishes, zai chuan zhi le, (Discovering joy in the river(by fish)), is a literary reference from the work of the 4th century BC philosopher, Zhuangzi. In his poem, "The Happiness of Fish," (Yuzhilei), Zhuangzi and his friend, Huizi, banter back and forth about this subject.

Zhuangzi and Huizi were strolling along the dam of the Hao Waterfall when Zhuangzi said, "See how the minnows come out and dart around where they please! That's what fish really enjoy!"
Huizi said, "You're not a fish — how do you know what fish enjoy?"
Zhuangzi said, "You're not I, so how do you know I don't know what fish enjoy?"
Huizi said, "I'm not you, so I certainly don't know what you know. On the other hand, you're certainly not a fish — so that still proves you don't know what fish enjoy!"
Zhuangzi said, "Let's go back to your original question, please. You asked me how I know what fish enjoy — so you already knew I knew it when you asked the question. I know it by standing here beside the Hao."

(Burton Watson, translation, The Complete Works of Chuang Tzu, New York, Press, 1968, pp.188-9.)