A RARE PAIR OF CAFE-AU-LAIT BOWLS MARKS AND PERIOD OF YONGZHENG

each of ogee-form, the rounded sides raised on a short straight foot, the exterior covered in a creamy light brown glaze, the interior and the base glazed white, the underside inscribed with a six-character underglaze-blue reign mark

Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, The British Museum, London, 1994 (one bowl).

Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994-2010, vol. 2, no. 813.

Apart from a few iron spots to the interior of one bowl and a couple dirty pin pricks on the interior to the other, the overall condition is very good. The colour of the glaze is very even and well matched. The actual colour of the bowls is quite close to the catalogue illustration.
"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."

Bowls of this type of Yongzheng mark and period appear to be very rare, but bowls of this form and glaze colour were popular in the Qianlong and Daoguang periods. A similar pair of bowls of Qianlong mark and period was sold in these rooms, 27th April 1993, lot 99; and a single Qianlong bowl is illustrated in Liu Liang-yu, A Survey of Chinese Ceramics, Hong Kong, 1991, vol. 5, p. 197 centre. A test bowl of this form, inscribed with a date equivalent to 1767, was sold in these rooms 24th May 1978, lot 215; and an example of Daoguang mark and period from the collection of Simon Kwan was included in the exhibition Imperial Porcelain of Late Qing, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1983, cat. no. 71.