A RARE BLUE AND WHITE 'LINGZHI' DISH MING DYNASTY, CHENGHUA / HONGZHI PERIOD

potted with shallow rounded sides rising from a tapered foot to a slightly everted rim, the interior with a slightly convex centre and decorated in underglaze blue with a medallion enclosing curling leafy stems bearing lingzhi blooms, the exterior similarly painted with a band of scrolling lingzhi stems, all between two double-line borders, the foot encircled with an additional double-line border

Lindberg Collection, Sweden.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 28th/29th November 1978, lot 97.

Kiinan Vanhaa Taidetta, Helsingfors Konsthall, Helsinki, 1956, cat. no. 188.
Ming Blue-and-White, Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm, 1964, cat. no. 45.

The dish is slightly warped. The mouthrim, which is now polished, appears to have had some minor fritting or shallow flakes. There is a small filled-in patch of approx. 0.5 by 0.5 cm to the cavetto (9 o'clock), which does not pass through to the exterior. There are also some surface wear, but the dish is otherwise is fairly good condition. The actual colour is slightly more vivid and less greyish 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."

The current dish is extremely rare and does not appear to have any precise counterpart in any museum or private collection. But clearly the design was preserved in the palace, as it continued to be used in the Qing period, as can be seen on a pair of Yongzheng-reign marked dishes, painted in iron-red with a near identical design, sold in these rooms, 27th April 1993, lot 115.