A rare Chelsea Kakiemon plate, circa 1752-1755. Estimate 800 — 1,200 GBP. Photo Sotheby's.

with scalloped rim and fluted well, painted after a Japanese original with the `Hob in the Well' pattern, depicting a boy hurling a stone at a jar in which his friend is drowning, another figure attempting to pull him out, within a border of meandering vine interspersed with lotus and chrysanthemum, red anchor mark, 24cm., 9 1/2 in. diam.

Exhibition: Albert Amor London, 18th Century English Chinoiserie Porcelain, 1990, no. 61 (paper label to base).

Note: This design originated in Japanese 17th century porcelains where it depicts the legend of Shiba Onko, the boy who saved his friend from drowning in a water jar by breaking it. The design was popular in Europe and appears at Meissen, Chelsea and Bow where it was known as 'Hob in the Well'. Several entries of this pattern appear in the Chelsea 1755 factory sale on octagon shaped wares, Monday 10th March, lot 77, Wednesday 12th March, lot 82, Thursday 20th March, lot 99. The present form appears to be quite rare with few examples recorded. Three similar examples were sold by Sotheby's in 1970, 19th May, lot 158, 30th June, lot 144, and 24th November, lot 78.

Sotheby's, Collections, Londres, 27 oct. 2015, 10:30 AM