The deep sides rising from a slightly tapered foot, the exterior finely painted in dark blue tones with a band of elongated lotus petals below a keyfret band around the rim, the interior with a central spray of fruiting loquat within double circles, surrounded by leafy scrolls of alternating blossoming camellias and chrysanthemum flowerheads below a band of breaking waves at the rim, the deep tones of cobalt containing extensive 'heaping and piling', fitted box. (2).

Provenance: Rolf, Lord Cunliffe (1899-1963), Honorary Keeper of the Far Eastern Collections at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge 
Acquired from Peter Boode, London, 22 May 1947
The Cunliffe Collection, no.PM73, and thence by descent

Note: An identical bowl is included in the collection of the Freer Gallery of Art, at the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, no.F1951.14a-b. Another is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Underglaze blue and red porcelain wares, Hong Kong, 2000, pl.75. Three examples are in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated by Geng Baoghang, Gugong Guoyu Yuan Cang Ming chu Qinghua Ci, Beijing, 2002, pp.125-127, nos.65-67. The Percival David Foundation also has a similar bowl, illustrated in Underglaze Blue and Copper Red Decorated Porcelains in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 2004, no.B637, p. 85; and a final example is illustrated by R. Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994, vol.2, fig.670.

Two related bowls were sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 December 2009, lot 1871, and 31 May 2010, lot 1851.

Bonhams. AUCTION 23237. 12 May 2016. FINE CHINESE ART, 10:30 BST - LONDON, NEW BOND STREET