Lot 27 A rare yellow-glazed saucer-dish, Zhengde six-character mark and of the period (1506-1521). Estimate £3,000 - 5,000 (€3,300 - 5,600). Photo: Bonhams.
With shallow rounded sides rising from a short tapering foot to a slightly everted rim, covered overall with a rich egg-yolk yellow glaze. 15.4cm (6in) diam.
Provenance: Dr Arthur Spriggs (1919-2015), acquired from Bluett & Son, Ltd., London, and thence by descent.
Dr Arthur Spriggs (1919-2015)
Educated at Winchester and New College, Oxford, Arthur Spriggs was a distinguished medical scientist for much of his very long life. He held a number of senior positions at Oxford's Radcliffe Infirmary and Churchill Hospital where he lectured and published extensively in his specialist field of cancer research. His early published research was accompanied by illustrations of cell preparations carefully drawn (using a microscope) by his accomplished water-colourist wife Gereth. Later in his career he pioneered the use of electron microscopy in the observation of chromosome anomalies and the detection of cancers, establishing the first regional screening service.
Arthur's personal interests extended to botany (he created and maintained a large 'natural' garden at his home); molluscs and snails (an indefatigable field worker, he must have surveyed every square kilometre of Oxfordshire during his long but active retirement); and, of course, Chinese porcelain, especially 17th century blue and white. A keen supporter for many years of the London-based Oriental Ceramic Society, he presented a ground-breaking lecture in 1965 which documented certain types of Chinese and Japanese porcelain featured in Western paintings between AD 1450-1700; published in the Transactions', Vol.36, it stimulated further investigation into the handsome 'vanitas' oil paintings which greatly enhanced the houses of successful Netherlandish burghers during the 17th century 'Dutch Golden Age'.
Yellow dishes from the Zhengde period can be found in some of the most important museums and private collections, see The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, pl.41; another is illustrated in M.Medley, Illustrated Catalogue of Ming and Ch'ing Monochrome in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 1973, pl.597 (now in the British Museum, London); and a third is illustrated by J.Ayers, Chinese Ceramics: The Koger Collection, London, 1985, pl.69.
Compare with a very similar dish which was sold at Sotheby's London on 10 November 2010, lot 62; another similar dish was sold in these rooms on 17 May 2012, lot 308.
Lot 62. An imperial yellow saucer dish, Zhengde mark and period (1506-1521). Estimate 6,000 — 8,000 GBP. Lot sold 49,250 GBP at Sotheby's London on 10 November 2010. Photo: Sotheby's.
the rounded sides rising from a short tapering foot to an everted rim, covered overall in a rich egg-yolk yellow glaze, the base glazed white; 15.5cm., 6 1/8 in.
Lot 308. A rare yellow-glazed saucer-dish, Zhengde six-character mark and of the period (1506-1521). Sold for £13,750 (€15,293) at Bonhams, London, New Bond Street 17 May 2012. Photo Bonhams.
The interior and exterior of the rim all under a rich lustrous mustard-yellow glaze, the interior of the foot reserved white, wood stand.
15cm (6 1/8in) diam. (2).
Provenance: acquired from Spink and Son, London on 4 September 1987
A British private collection
Note: Compare a very slightly larger yellow dish illustrated by R.Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol.IV, London, 2010, pl.1676.
Lot 21. A rare yellow-glazed saucer dish, Zhengde six-character mark and of the period (1506-1521). Sold for £12,500 (€13,902) at Bonhams, London, New Bond Street, The Roy Davids Collection of Chinese ceramics, 6 November 2014. Photo Bonhams.
Thinly potted, the sides rising gently to a slightly flared mouth, the exterior and interior covered in a rich yellow glaze. 20.9cm (8 1/4in) diam.
Provenance: Clive D.Collins Collection, no.130
Deadmill Ltd., Bath
Roy Davids Collection, no.12, acquired on 18 March 2009
Note: A very similar dish of the same size and shape, Zhengde period, is illustrated by J.Harrison-Hall in Ming Ceramics in the British Museum, London, 2001, no.8:27. The Koger Collection included two slightly smaller dishes, Zhengde mark and period, illustrated by J.Ayers in Chinese Ceramics The Koger Collection, Warwickshire, 1985, nos.68 and 69. Another related example was sold at Christie's London on 4 November 2008, lot 158.
Lot 22. A rare yellow-glazed saucer dish, Zhengde six-character mark and of the period (1506-1521). Sold for £13,750 (€15,293) at Bonhams, London, New Bond Street, The Roy Davids Collection of Chinese ceramics, 6 November 2014. Photo Bonhams.
Finely potted with rounded sides rising from a tall foot to a flared rim, covered inside and out with an attractive even yellow glaze. 22.3cm (8 3/4in) diam.
Provenance: Norma Simmons Collection
Bluett & Sons Ltd., London (label)
Desmond R.Laurence Collection, no.257, acquired on 19 December 1986
Roy Davids Collection, no.14, acquired on 20 October 2001
Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART, 10 november 2016, 10:30 GMT, LONDON, NEW BOND STREET
