A PAIR OF YELLOW-GLAZED 'LOTUS' DISHES QIANLONG SEAL MARKS AND PERIOD

each with rounded sides rising from a slightly spreading foot, the exterior incised with twelve separate lotus sprays borne on curvy stems with feathery leaves, covered overall with a rich yellow glaze, the base left white and inscribed with a six-character Qianlong seal mark

The interior of one dish has a glazed-over three-point star crack to the centre with branches measuring circa 1cm and many sub-cracks branching out from it. The surface is rubbed in places as seen in patches of glaze wear (measuring circa 0.3 x 0.3cm). There are extensive surface scratches with the longest measuring circa 1.5cm, and many minor glaze firing imperfections such as burst glaze bubbles and iron spots. The other dish has a 0.2 x 0.2cm area to the interior where the glaze runs thick, which might have been caused by an impurity in the clay. The surface is slightly rubbed with very minute patches of glaze wear and extensively scratched with the longest scratch measuring circa 2cm. The base has a three-point firing star crack (longest branch measuring 0.5cm) and another 0.4cm firing crack near the reign mark. There are general minor glaze firing imperfections including burst glaze bubbles and iron spots.
"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."

The present dishes are remarkable for their large yet thinly potted bodies which are evenly covered in a glossy rich imperial yellow glaze. Moreover, it is unusual to find dishes of this size decorated with an engraved design of lotus sprays; compare a Yongzheng mark and period dish, but incised with eight lotus sprays and of much smaller dimensions, sold in these rooms, 8^th July 1974, lot 321, again in our Hong Kong rooms, 20^th May 1980, lot 112, and a third time at Christie's Hong Kong, 1^st December 2010, lot 2822, from the Greenwald collection.

This lotus design can also be found on yellow-ground dishes with the lotus sprays picked out in green enamel; a Qianlong dish of this size and design was sold at Christie's London, 1^st December 1997, lot 124; and a pair of smaller dishes with eight sprays, was sold at Christie's New York, 15^th September 2009, lot 373. For the Yongzheng prototype to these green enamelled dishes, see a slightly smaller example with ten lotus flowers, included in the Min Chiu Society exhibition Splendour of the Qing Dynasty,  Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1992, cat. no. 147.