Each with shallow rounded sides rising to a slightly flaring rim, covered overall in a glaze of even bright egg-yolk yellow glaze, the base glazed white, wood stands. Each 17.8cm (7in) diam. (4).

Provenance: Bluett & Sons, Ltd., London
A distinguished European private collection, and thence by descent.

Notes: The European private collection to which these rare Imperial porcelains belong, ranging from the Zhengde to the Yongzheng period, was formed by a highly discerning collector, mostly between the 1930s and the 1960s. 

The pieces forming the collection in its entirety, were acquired from some of the foremost dealers of their generation, including in London John Sparks, Bluett's and William Clayton, in Paris L.Wannieck and Pierre Saqué and in New York Frank Caro (as successor to C.T. Loo). In a correspondence between John Sparks and the owner in 1930, the former was informed that a recently acquired piece has arrived safely despite the hard landing of the aeroplane...

The exceptional rarity of many of the pieces stand as a testament to the connoisseur's eye of the collector. The collection moved with the owner and her family across three continents, always beautifully displayed around the home to be enjoyed and admired daily.

Yellow-glazed wares such as the present lot are believed to have been produced for use at the Imperial Court, although a small number have reached other Royal collections and were possibly given as Imperial gifts; see for example a pair of bowls, Zhengde marks and of the period, in the Ottoman Royal Collection, illustrated by R.Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, London, 1986, vol.2, p.448, pl.775.

Similar dishes are preserved in important museum and private collections; see one example from the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of the Treasures of the Palace Museum: Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, pl.41; another pair of similar size is illustrated by A.M.Joseph, Ming Porcelains: Their Origins and Development, London, 1971, pl.103; and see a further example illustrated by J.Ayers, Chinese Ceramics: The Koger Collection, London, 1985, pl.69.

A similar single yellow-glazed dish, Zhengde mark and of the period, from the Roger Pilkington Collection, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong on 6 April 2016, lot 31.

An imperial yellow-glazed dish, Zhengde mark and of the period (1506-1521). Sold for 625,000 HKD at Sotheby's Hong Kong, the Roger Pilkington Collection, 6 April 2016, lot 31. Photo: Sotheby's. 

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