A large blue and white lotos and buddhist emblem charger 'bajixiang', China, underglaze blue Yongzheng six-character mark and of the period. Photo Nagel Auktionen

The heavily-potted dish has rounded sides that flare to the everted rim and is painted in brilliant tones of blue in the center with a formal stylized flower head. The well is decorated with lotus scroll bearing eight flowers, each positioned below one of the bajixiang, all beneath a wave border on the flat rim. The exterior is decorated with six flowering or fruiting branches. Good condition. D. 45,2 cm. Estimate 180 000/250 000 €

Provenance: Former old private collection

The present dish is impressive for it large size and carefully composed design. A similarly composed design on a yellow ground, with a Yongzheng reign mark and of the period was sold at Sotheby's Hongkong, 20th November 1985, lot 156

The bajixiang originated in India and came into China with the introduction of Tibetan Buddhism in the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368), and was immediately incorporated into the decorative arts. During the early seventeenth century these Buddhist symbols became integrated with Daoist symbols and came to share the same meaning of longevity. The combination of the bajixiang resting on lotus flowers and the interlocking scrolls derives from the blue and white palace bowls and stemcups of the Chenghua dynasty (1465-87); for example, see a stemcup included in the exhibition A Legacy of Chenghua, Imperial Porcelain of the Chenghua Reign Exavated from Zhushan, Jingdezhen, Tsui Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1993, cat. no. C52.

A very similar charger was sold from the collection of Gustaf Wallenberg (1863-1939), who acquired his charger between 1906 and 1918 when Wallenberg was the Swedish Envoyé in Tokyo, from 1907 he was also accredit for Beijing, see Bukowki's Stockholm, 17.6.2011, Lot 1572. 

Nagel Auktionen. 2013/05/08. http://www.auction.de/