Imperial

Chinese imperial porcelain blue and white deep circular dish, the well of the centre painted in reverse technique with a boy holding a branch of peony flowers amongst stylised scrolling foliage on a blue ground roundel under a band of blossoms and stylised scrolls, the exterior painted with flower branches.

Chinese imperial porcelain large saucer dish painted with five dragons, wu long, the centre with the forward facing gilt and iron-red five clawed dragon, its body encircling a flaming pearl between an ascending blue enamel dragon and a descending turquoise dragon, all amongst ruyi-clouds in rose, turquoise, blue and white enamels with stylized red flames and all reserved on a rich and even lemon-yellow ground, the underside with a pink dragon and a green dragon heightened in black enamel, all the dragons’ claws in white and on a similar ground between flaming pearls beneath the gilt rim.

Pair of Chinese imperial porcelain famille rose, fencai, lobed jardinieres on five ruyi-head feet, the body decorated with gilt circular shou-character medallions amongst iron red bats in flight and blue enamel wan-characters, all heightened in gilt on a rich lemon yellow ground, the flat slightly lipped rim with flowerheads on a lime green ground, the interior and base with turquoise enamel lining.

Chinese imperial porcelain large dish, brightly painted in famille rose, fencai enamels with bajixiang, the eight auspicious emblems, each ribbon tied and amongst eight different flowering branches in pink, blue, light blue, turquoise green, iron red, gilt, yellow, white and lime green enamels encircling a stylised central flowerhead with interlinked other flowers, all within a double gilt border, the rim with a wide band of pink ruyi-heads on a lemon yellow ground, the underside with three different flower sprays each on a leafy branch with other flowers and leaves.

Chinese imperial porcelain doucai bowl painted on the exterior with six different exotic blooms in iron red, yellow and aubergine with green edges on a dense ground of foliate stems with leaves in three different tones of green and heightened with yellow iron red and underglaze blue, all linked by delicate branches, the enamels outlined in underglaze blue above a band of ruyi-heads and beneath two lines in underglaze blue repeated on the foot, the interior plain.

Chinese imperial porcelain saucer dish painted in the centre with a medallion of five bats, wufu, in iron-red within double line, encircled by a border of twelve bats in flight within a double line in underglaze blue, the underside with eight further open-winged bats in iron-red between double lines.

Chinese imperial porcelain famille rose, fencai, “over the wall” bowl and cover, all painted with fruiting lychee branches and buds, around the sides and continuing over the rim, with sprays of bamboo and a butterfly, hovering on the interior and exterior.

A Chinese imperial porcelain doucai deep dish of ogee form, finely painted on the interior with the eight attributes of the Daoist immortals, anbaxian, each ribbon-tied in blue enamel, ruby enamel, yellow and iron red, amongst flower sprays, and within two pairs of underglaze blue rings, encircling a central mallow flowerhead, itself within an inter-linked profile branch of pendant, peaches and chrysanthemum, the underside with eight elaborate flowerheads painted in pairs on a dense floral ground with leaves in different tones of green and buds, all above a lappet and ruyi-head border.

Chinese imperial porcelain fencai large thickly potted dish, finely painted with five-clawed iron-red and blue dragon on each side of a flaming gilt pearl, all amongst stylised ruyi-clouds and flames within a wide gilt band, the underside with an aubergine dragon and another iron-red dragon with two pearls amongst stylised clouds and flames.

Chinese imperial porcelain famille verte, wucai saucer dish thinly potted with upright rim, painted with a standing lady with one arm tucked into her elegant ruyi-cloud patterned robes, beside a table with censer, bowl, books and a vase with two peacock feathers, with an iron-red openwork stool at her side.

Chinese imperial porcelain yellow glazed bowl of deep form thinly potted with gently flared rim, covered overall in a rich and even yellow glaze.

A very large Chinese imperial porcelain “hundred bats”, baifu, charger painted with iron-red bats in flight amongst fencai stylised ruyi-head clouds in purple, turquoise, blue and yellow enamels, all within a gilt band at the rim, the underside similarly decorated above a gilt band at the foot and beneath an iron-red line at the rim.

A Chinese porcelain Ming imperial yellow saucer dish with slightly flared rim, covered on the front and underside with a rich yellow glaze, the base with a six-character mark of Zhengde within a double ring and of the period, 1508-1521.

Pair of Chinese imperial porcelain small yellow glazed thinly potted saucer dishes, each covered overall in an even yellow glaze extending to the base.

Chinese imperial porcelain saucer dish painted on a yellow ground and incised with a green and aubergine five-clawed dragon encircling a flaming pearl amongst stylised clouds and flames, the underside with aubergine grapes and green leaves on a yellow ground extending to the base.

Pair of Chinese imperial porcelain saucer dishes, each painted on a yellow ground and incised with a green and aubergine five-clawed dragon encircling a flaming pearl amongst stylised clouds and flames, the reverse incised with cranes in flight between ruyi-head clouds on a yellow ground extending to the base.

Chinese imperial porcelain yellow ground saucer dish incised in the centre and painted with a green and aubergine five-clawed dragon in pursuit of a flaming pearl amongst stylised flames, within a double aubergine ring, the underside decorated with grapes and leaves also on a yellow ground extending to the base.

Chinese imperial porcelain saucer dish painted on a yellow ground and incised with a green and aubergine five-clawed dragon encircling a flaming pearl amongst stylised clouds and flames, the underside with aubergine grapes and green leaves on a yellow ground extending to the base.