A DOUCAI 'FLORAL BOUQUET' BOWL MARK AND PERIOD YONGZHENG

well potted with curved sides supported on a low foot gently rising to a flared rim, finely painted and enamelled to the interior with a floral medallion encircled by a floret band and ruyi strapwork, the exterior similarly decorated in multicolour with six floral bouquets, divided by ruyi strapwork panels, all below an underglaze-blue and yellow-ground ruyi band at the rim, the base inscribed with an underglaze-blue six-character reign mark

Acquired in Japan, September 1988.

There is a 2.2 cm star crack to the base. The overall condition is otherwise quite good with almost all of the enamels well preserved.
"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."

A bowl of this type is published in Gu taoci ziliao xuancui, Beijing, 2005, pl. 143; and a pair of bowls from the Edward T. Chow collection, was sold in these rooms, 25^th November 1980, lot 128. Further examples were also sold in these rooms including a pair, 14^th November 1989, lot 228, and a single bowl, 15^th May 1990, lot 282.

This lotus bouquet design is a Yongzheng innovation and was reproduced by successive Qing emperors; see a Qianlong example sold in these rooms, 2^nd May 2000, lot 735; a Jiaqing bowl in the Nanjing Museum, Nanjing, published in the Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003, p. 362; and a Daoguang version included in the exhibition Imperial Porcelain of Late Qing, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1983, cat. no. 28.