A large wucai dragon and phoenix dish, Wanli mark and of the period. Photo Bonhams. 

The flat wide well painted in bright enamels depicting a rising five-clawed dragon opposed by a diving phoenix, surrounded by two pairs of confronting dragons and phoenix painted to the interior of the curving walls, all against a ground densely filled with leafy floral sprays, the exterior sides renders with eight lotus blossoms borne on leafy scrolls, the base centered with the six-character mark within double rings in underglaze blue. 14 1/4in (36.3cm) diameter. Sold for US$ 31,250 (€22,621)

Provenance: Oskar Gerson Collection, acquired during the 1920's-1930's, Germany, and thence by descent

A comparable dish with similar decoration but smaller in size from the Baur Collection is illustrated in John Ayers, The Baur Collection, vol. 2, Geneva, 1969, pl. A199. Another smaller dish with similar motif sold at Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 18th May 1982, lot 175. Also, compare a wucai dish of the same period in the Tokyo National Museum, Illustrated catalogues, Chinese Ceramics, 1966, no. 536.

Bonhams. ASIAN DECORATIVE ARTS. San Francisco. 18 Dec 2013 -www.bonhams.com