A fine Imperial blue and white dragon bowl, underglaze blue six-character mark Wanli and of the period. Photo Nagel

With steeply rounded sides rising to a flared rim, painted in deep underglaze-blue around the sides with two ferocious five-clawed dragons amidst a dense ground of detached floral sprays, all above two double-line borders encircling the foot, the base inscribed in underglaze-blue with a six-character mark within double-circles. Good condition. D. 15,7 cm. Estimate 15 000/25 000 €

For a dragon and phoenix bowl from the Imperial collection see ‘Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red II - The complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum’, Hongkong, 2000, no. 196

Nagel. "Asian Art". 2012/11/02 http://www.auction.de/