The sturdily potted dish incised in the well with a heavy peony bloom issuing from a leafy stem, surrounded by floral and foliate meanders beneath a narrow band incised with delicate floral sprays beneath the rim, the exterior moulded with heavier floral meanders and all covered with an even-toned pale-green glaze revealing the orange biscuit in a single circle on the base. 

Provenance: an English private collection 

Note: Exceptionally large dishes such as the present lot are very rare due to the difficulty in firing a dish of such massive proportions and weight. These sizable dishes were particularly admired in the Near East, where they were used for lavish court banquets, and examples are extant in two of the greatest Near Eastern collections, namely the Topkapi Saray, Istanbul and the Archaeological Museum, Tehran from the Ardebil Shrine. The largest dish from the Ardebil Shrine is very similar in size to the present lot, measuring 55cm diam; see J.A.Pope, Chinese Porcelains from the Ardebil Shrine, 2nd ed., London, 1981, pl.129, fig.29.626; the Topkapi Saray collection which houses numerous celadon glazed dishes, appears to include only four of larger size, with the vast majority of the dishes being of smaller dimensions compared to the present dish; see R.Krahl, J.Ayres, ed., Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul: Yuan and Ming Dynasty Celadon Wares, London, 1986.

A related larger Longquan floral dish, circa 1403-1424 (63.5cm diam.) is illustrated in J.Harrison-Hall, Ming Ceramics in the British Museum, London, 2001, no.16:64.

Compare a related but larger (64.6cm diam.) Longquan celadon dish, late 14th/ early 15th century, sold at Christie's London, 7 November 2006, lot 160. See also a related smaller (32.4cm) 'Longquan' celadon dish, Yongle, from J.T. Tai & Co., sold at Sotheby's New York, 22 March 2011, lot 86.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART. London, New Bond Street. 7 Nov 2013