A fine and rare pair of wucai 'dragon and phoenix' dishes, Wanli six-character marks and of the period. Photo courtesy Bonhams

Each with shallow sides ending in everted rims rising from a short recessed circular foot, the central cartouche with a forward-facing five-clawed dragon above two phoenixes guarding the flaming pearl in flight amongst wispy clouds, encircled within a frieze of crashing waves and floral petals interspersed between an auspicious four-character blessing at the compass points, the exterior decorated with meandering lotus blossoms issuing leafy vines, the base with a six-character Imperial kaishu mark within double circles in underglaze-blue. Each 14.1cm diam. (2). Estimate HK$ 750,000 - 850,000 (€72,000 - 82,000)

Wanli period wucai ceramics decorated with dragon, phoenixes and auspicious crashing wave borders are rarely published. See a closely related and similar-looking example with six-character Longqing mark and of the period, in the Sir Percival David collection, currently housed in the British Museum, London, illustrated inIllustrated Catalogue of Ming and Ming Style Polychrome Wares in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 2006, p.41, no.A729. See also other examples of Wanli period wucai ceramics in the Huaihaitang collection, illustrated in Enlightening Elegance. Imperial Porcelain of the Mid to Late Ming. The Huaihaitang Collection, Hong Kong, 2012, pp.294-297, no.84 & 85. 

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART. Hong Kong. 24 Nov 2013