A fine and very rare celadon-glazed incised 'peony' basin, Seal mark and period of Yongzheng | 清雍正 粉青釉劃牡丹紋圓洗 《大清雍正年製》款

Collection of Sir Chentung Liang Cheng (1864-1917), and thence by descent.

梁誠（1864-1917年）收藏，後家族傳承（梁氏為清朝末年官員，曾任駐美利堅合衆國公使）

Monochrome wares were the hardest to make and required the utmost precision in every stage of their production, as the slightest irregularity would result in the rejection and destruction of the piece. The elegant and subtle glaze on this piece was created in imitation of Longquan celadon of the Song period. Celadon glazes with delicate, pale green tones were made already in the early Ming dynasty, and were achieved by lessening the amount of iron typically found in Song dynasty Longquan celadons. The glaze was further modified during the Yongzheng period to include a wider variety of tones. The warm sea-green hue of the present washer is a particularly successful example, accentuating the well-proportioned form and the incised floral design. 

A closely related Yongzheng basin was sold at Christie's London, 12th December 1988, lot 332; and a further example was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 3rd November 1998, lot 934.

This type of basin continued to be made in the Qianlong period, albeit also in small quantities. Two related Qianlong basins were sold in these rooms: the first example, 20th May 1980, lot 77, and again, 24th November 1987, lot 117; and the other, from the collection of Baron Denzaburo Fujita, 8th April 2013, lot 3071.

For a 15th century prototype, see a dish illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, vol. I, London, 1986, pl. 318.