A BLUE AND WHITE ‘DRAGON’ FISH BOWL JIAJING MARK AND PERIOD

the deep tapering sides rising to an everted rim, boldly painted to the exterior with two winged dragons striding amongst cloud scrolls chasing flaming pearls above tumultuous waves, the rim inscribed with a horizontal six-character reign mark

There is a 3-point star crack near the dragon head below the mark, visible both to the interior and exterior, the longest branch measuring 21.5cm. There are two shorter cracks next to this. The base has a C-shaped crack. Some fritting and rim chips. The central interior with further fritting.
"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 fishbowl is remarkable for its lively scene of winged dragons flying above crested waves. Two closely related examples are known; one in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, was included in the Museum’s exhibition Chinese Ceramics, Sydney, 1965, cat. no. 85; and the other was sold in these rooms, 31^st May 1989, lot 82. The difficulties encountered by the Jingdezhen potters in manufacturing such large vessels are mentioned in the Jingdezhen Taolu (An Account of Ceramic Production at Jingdezhen) which records that after firing a large number of these vessels  ‘there were also many that had been ruined, crushed flat, spoilt or squashed’ (see The Fame of Flame. Imperial Wares of the Jiajing and Wanli Periods, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2009, p. 120).

 

Fishbowls of this form are more commonly known painted with five-clawed dragons chasing a flaming pearl amongst clouds; see one illustrated in Lu Minghua, Mingdai guanyao ciqi [Ming imperial porcelain], Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, 2007, pl. 3-84; another included in the exhibition Enlightening Elegance. Imperial Porcelain of the Mid to Late Ming. The Huaihaitang Collection, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2012, cat. no. 17; a fishbowl sold in these rooms, 12^th November 2003, lot 153; and a fourth example sold at Christie’s New York, 19^th September 1996, lot 266. Compare also a fishbowl painted with dragons striding amongst scrolling lotuses, from the collections of Douglas Oliver and the Palmer Museum of Art, The Pennsylvania State University, sold twice in our New York rooms, 20^th March 1976, lot 118, and again, 23^rd March 2004, lot 640.

 

For the Xuande prototype see one painted with winged dragons above waves, recovered from the Xuande strata of the waste heaps of the Imperial kiln at Jingdezhen, included in the exhibition Imperial Porcelain of the Yongle and Xuande Periods Excavated from the Site of the Ming Imperial Factory at Jingdezhen, The Urban Council, Hong Kong, 1989, cat. no. 92.