A rare large blue and white 'dragon' basin, Ming dynasty, 16th century. Estimate £20,000 – £30,000 ($30,780 - $46,170). Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2015

The basin is of a shallow compressed form with a lipped rim and supported by a short foot. It is decorated around the exterior with two large writhing dragons chasing a flaming pearl amongst clouds, all between cloud scrolls to the mouth rim and a classic scroll above the foot. 18 in. (45.8 cm.) diam.

Provenance: Christie's London, 15 June 1998, lot 96.
With Linart Ltd., London, 20 June 1998.
From the Collection of Francis Golding (1944-2013).

Notes: Large shallow basins of this type are very rare and it is possible that this vessel may have been intended as a jardinière or for penjing. The decoration on the exterior is boldly executed with a well-painted dragon band. The form of the dragon is similar to those seen on smaller vessels of the Jiajing reign, such as a lidded jar in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing (illustrated The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum – 34 – Blue and White Porcelain with underglaze Red (II), Hong Kong, 2000, p. 103, no. 96), and the dish in the same collection (illustratedibid., p. 130, no. 120). The scales of the dragon on the current vessel are particularly well defined as overlapping arcs, and using both dark outlines and pale reserved areas at the edge of each scale. Careful depiction of scales using the time-consuming technique of overlapping arcs is relatively rare on porcelains of the 16th and 17th centuries, when the faster, if less effective, technique of cross-hatching was often substituted.

Christie's. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS & WORKS OF ART, 10 November 2015, London, King Street