Lot 3236. A rare large underglaze-blue ground green-enamelled 'dragon' dish, Kangxi six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle and of the period (1662-1722). Estimate HK$2,000,000 - HK$3,000,000 ($258,674 - $388,011). Price Realized HK$2,440,000 ($315,485). Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2016.

The thickly potted dish is finely enamelled in green with an ascending and a descending dragon pursuing flaming pearls amidst cloud scrolls against a blue ground, the cavetto and exterior similarly decorated with two striding dragons in pursuit of pearls. The base is covered with a clear glaze. 14 1/2 in. (36.8 cm.) diam., wood box

Provenance: A Hong Kong private collection, acquired in the 1970s

Notes: A nearly identical identical example is in the collection of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, exhibited in The Wonders of the Potter’s Palette: Qing Ceramics from the Collection of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, 2 November 1984-6 January 1985, no. 25 (fig. 1). Another nearly identical example is in the Baur Collection, illustrated in J. Ayers, The Baur Collection, vol. IV, 1974, no. A555. The Baur dish has additional black enamels later applied to obliterate the fifth claw on each of the dragon’s feet.

fig. 1. An underglaze-blue ground green-enamelled 'dragon' dish, Kangxi six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle and of the period (1662-1722). Hong Kong Museum of Art Collection

Christie's. THE IMPERIAL SALE / IMPORTANT CHINESE CERAMICS & WORKS OF ART, 1 June 2016, Convention Hall