A FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE INCISED GREEN-GLAZED 'DRAGON' BOWL MARK AND PERIOD OF KANGXI

well potted with deep rounded sides rising from a short foot to flared rim, the exterior brilliantly applied with a vibrant green glaze over an incised continuous scene depicting a pair of scaly five-clawed dragons chasing the flaming pearls amidst flames and above tempestuous waves, the interior centred with a medallion enclosing a further dragon chasing a flaming pearl enamelled, the detail picked out in green and black enamels, surrounded by an underglaze-blue double-line border repeated around the rim, the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark

Sotheby's London, 10th June 1986, lot 279 (one of a pair).
S. Marchant & Son Ltd., London.

The overall condition is quite good, except for a short hairline crack of approx. 0.2 cm from the mouthrim. There is a minute underglazed dent to the outer rim, in addition to a few more to the exterior footring. There are also some surface wear to the interior well, minor kiln speckles and tiny trapped air bubbles. The actual colour is slightly more tinged with yellow than 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."

Finely carved with two dynamic five-clawed dragons pursuing a flaming pearl, this bowl closely follows Ming dynasty (1368-1644) prototypes, such as a green-glazed bowl with a Jiajing mark and of the period, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the Museum’s Special Exhibition of Dragon-Motif Porcelain in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1983, cat. no. 30.

The Kangxi Emperor took a keen interest in the revival of the Imperial porcelain factories at Jingdezhen, which had ceased production for nearly 60 years from the end of the Wanli reign (1620). One of the priorities was the revival and development of monochrome glazes, including green. While the use of copper-green lead glazes is known from as early as the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), the glaze mix used on this piece is distinguishable from late Ming examples for its even texture and brilliant hue.

A closely related bowl in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in The Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum. Ceramics, vol. 23, Shunzhi and Kangxi Periods of Qing Dynasty (III), Beijing, 2013, pl. 110; another, was included in the exhibition Chinesische Keramik, Kunstmuseum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, 1965, cat. no. 184; and a third bowl was sold in these rooms, 20th May 1987, lot 145. Kangxi mark and period bowls incised with this motif, but lacking the dragon roundel on the interior, are also known covered in various other monochrome glazes; see an aubergine-glazed bowl in the Meiyintang collection, illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 2, London, 1994, pl. 890, and sold in these rooms, 7th April 2011, lot 21; another, in the Roemer-Museum, Hildesheim, published in Ulrich Wiesner, Chinesisches Porzellan. Die Ohlmer’sche Sammlung im Roemer-Museum, Hildesheim, Mainz, 1981, pl. 101; and a yellow-glazed bowl sold in these rooms, 6th December 1994, lot 188.