A RARE BLUE AND WHITE 'EIGHT IMMORTALS' BOWL MARK AND PERIOD OF YONGZHENG |

with deep rounded sides rising from a straight foot to a gently flared rim, painted around the exterior with the Eight Immortals, each depicted holding their respective attribute and supported on scrolling ruyi clouds, the interior with a medallion enclosing the three Star Gods beneath an overhanging pine tree, inscribed to the base with a six-character reign mark within a double circle

Christie's Hong Kong, 1st June 2016, lot 3340.

There are areas of overspray to the rim, possibly to conceal an approx. 1 cm retouched chip and a minuscule retouched flake around the 5 and 8 o'clock positions of the mark.
"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."

It is rare to find a bowl of this design with a Yongzheng reign mark, although similar decoration is well known on bowls with Qianlong and later reign marks. One Yongzheng example from the Garner collection is illustrated in Soame Jenyns, Later Chinese Porcelain. The Ch'ing Dynasty (1644-1912), London, 1951, pl. LX; a set of four Yongzheng bowls was sold in our New York rooms, 7th December 1983, lot 352; another was sold in these rooms, 29th October 1991, lot 134; and a further example was sold at Christie's New York, 21st/22nd March 2013, lot 1473. Compare a rare prototype of this design of Wanli mark and period in the Shanghai Museum illustrated in Lu Minghua, Mingdai guanyao ciqi [Ming imperial porcelain], Shanghai, 2007, pl. 4-26.