A rare and large Japanese Imari porcelain charger. Edo period, circa 1700. Photo Gibson Antiques

For the Western market, boldly painted with a central double-gourd shaped vase depicting a European gentleman in the central panel flanked by European mask handles, issuing full blown flowers and foliage, containing peony and a tulip, all on an irregular three-legged stand, the border set with four leaf-shaped panels containing peony interspersed by groups of five song birds reserved on a black ground, picked out in iron-red and highlighted in gilding, the underside with floral sprigs. Diameter: 59cm. Price 

Such fine and large dishes were popular in Europe in the late 17th and early 18th centuries and several examples may be found in the Collection of Augustus the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, who furnished his palaces in Dresden with oriental porcelains at this period.

Similar examples may also be found in the Groninger Museum, The Netherlands, 1988.255, illustrated in Porcelain for Palaces, The Fashion for Japan in Europe 1650-1750, Oriental Ceramic Society, 1990, pl 230., p.219 and in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Gibson Antiques will be exhibiting at the Maastricht Fine Art Open House 2012, which runs alongside TEFAF from the 15th to the 25th March 2012 between 11am and 6pm daily

Gibson Antiques. 7 Georgian House, 10 Bury Street, St James's, London SW1Y 6AA - t 00 44 (0) 7831 645468 - alastair@gibsonantiques.com - www.gibsonantiques.com