Lot 2. A Longquan celadon carved bowl, Early Ming Dynasty. Estimate HK$ 120,000 - 150,000 (€14,000 - 18,000). Photo: Bonhams.

The deep fluted sides supported on a short tapered foot, the exterior carved with two rows of lotus petals, the interior cavetto decorated with meandering leafy scrolls bearing the 'Flowers of the Four Seasons' surrounding a central medallion enclosing a fruit spray, covered in a lustrous sea-green glaze. 21.3cm (8 1/2in) diam.

Provenance: Nicholas de la Mare Thompson (1928-2010).

Notes: Nicholas de la Mare Thompson (1928-2010), was grandson of the author Walter de la Mare and brother to Julian Thompson, the renowned specialist in the field of Chinese Ceramics. He was an active member of the Oriental Ceramics Society in London. 

A related Longquan celadon bowl carved with two rows of lotus petals, early Ming dynasty, is in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated by Tsai Mei-fen, Green-Longquan Celadon of the Ming Dynasty, Taipei, 2011, pls.9-10; compare also with the scrolling blossoms in the present lot to two other bowls, illustrated in ibid., pls.7 and 11.

It is interesting to note that some of the blue and white 'lotus' bowls made in the Imperial kilns during the Yongle and Xuande periods share the same design of the double lotus petals on the exterior and the meandering floral scrolls on the cavetto; see an example of a blue and white 'lotus' bowl, Xuande mark and of the period, in the Tianminlou Collection, illustrated in The Radiant Ming 1368-1644 through the Min Chiu Society Collection, Hong Kong, 2015, no.117.

Compare a similar example, but with the centre of the interior with a lotus blossom and a key-fret band around the rim, sold at Christie's Hong Kong on 30 May 2012, lot 4243.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 2016-11-29, 14:00 HKT - HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY