A BLUE AND WHITE 'FIVE POISONS' DISH WANLI MARK AND PERIOD

heavily potted, the interior painted with the Daoist Zhang Daoling standing next to a tiger, as a demon brings him a sword, surrounded by four of the 'Five Poisons' (wudu): the snake, scorpion, lizard and the three-legged toad, all in a landscape setting of pine trees, rocks and flowers, surrounded by sprigs and flowers on the well, the exterior further decorated with alternating 'Five Poisons' and plants, above a short foot encircled by a classic scroll border, six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle

Collection of Dr. Richard and Mrs. Mary Eckhardt, acquired in Japan between 1947-1952 while Dr. Eckhardt was serving as a surgeon in the United States Army and thence by descent.

There are two 1 1/2 inch cracks and two chips at the rim which have been repaired with gilt-lacquer. The repair on the chips has flaked off. There is a further 1 inch haircrack to the rim. There is some minor fritting and burst bubbles on the rim, and kiln grit and a shallow chip to the interior. There is a small shallow chip and pin prick glaze gaps to the base, and overall light surface wear.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The depiction of Zhang Daoling and the 'Five Poisons', which are represented by the snake, centipede, scorpion, lizard and toad, was a popular motif for the Duanwu festival, which occurs on the fifth day and fifth lunar month on the Chinese calendar. During this time,  these creatures would come out of hibernation, and so many of the themes associated with the Duanwu festival relate to fighting off evil forces and these poisonous creatures. It was believed that the accumulated poisons of the five would counter any other poison that one may come in contact with.

Whilst no other Wanli-marked blue and white dishes of this exact design appear to be recorded, the subject matter is well-known on wucai saucer dishes from the same period. See, the pair of wucai decorated saucer dishes from the Edward T. Chow collection sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 19th May 1981, lot 435; and another saucer dish with the same subject matter sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 27th October 2003, lot 614.