A RARE LARGE LONGQUAN CELADON BARBED CHARGER EARLY MING DYNASTY |

the robust body with lobed shallow sides rising from a short foot to a flat everted barbed rim of twelve bracket foliations, carved on the flat interior with a dense diapered design surrounded by scrollwork, the cavetto decorated with a band of detached fruiting and flowering sprays, the exterior similarly crisply carved with detached lotus sprays, unctuously applied overall with an attractive olive-green glaze, save for an unglazed ring on the base left in the biscuit and burnt brownish-orange in the firing

It is in overall good condition with a glaze bruise to the interior, which also has some scratches and surface wear. The charger also has some glaze gaps and nine indentations to the unglazed base, possibly original. The actual colour is slightly paper than that of 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."

Thickly enveloped in an attractive sea-green glaze, the present charger is impressive for its large size and the finely rendered diaper design surrounded by delicately carved fruit sprays. See a smaller barbed charger (41 cm), carved in the centre with a grid of coins encircled within a continuous floral scroll, preserved in the Ningbo Museum and illustrated in Celadons from the Longquan Kilns, Taipei, 1998, pl. 269. A larger example of this shape (56.5 cm), but decorated with a curling lotus spray, also from the collection of Sir Quo-Wei Lee, was sold in these rooms, 3rd October 2018, lot 106. It is mentioned in the encyclopaedic work by the Ming scholar Gao Lian Zun sheng ba jian [The Eight Discourses on Living] published in 1591 that, for a scented room, large chargers such as those from the Longquan kilns were ideal vessels to hold one to two dozen of fragrant citruses (xiang yuan).