Lot 3121. An extremely rare wucai 'Offerings' bowl, Wanli six-character mark within double circles and of the period (1573-1619), 7 5/8 in. (19.3 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 1,000,000 - HKD 2,000,000. Price realised HKD 1,000,000 © Christie's Images Ltd 2013 

The exterior of the bowl is brilliantly decorated with three iron-red altar tables each supporting multi-coloured offering vessels including vases, jars and ewers, each table divided by plants and rocks in jardinieres, all below a ruyi border at the rim. The interior is decorated with a roundel enclosing two dragons contesting a flaming pearl.  

Provenance: Bluett & Sons, London, 1952
Raymond F.A. Riesco Collection, no. 219k

Literature: London Borough of Croydon, Riesco Collection of Chinese Ceramics Handlist, Croydon, 1987, p. 10, no. 76 

Palazzo Ducale, Arte Cinese, Venice, 1954, Catalogue, no. 725.
The Arts Council of Great Britain and Oriental Ceramic Society, The Arts of the Ming Dynasty, London, 15 November - 14 December 1957, Catalogue, no. 214 
Oriental Ceramic Society, Ceramic Art of China, London, 9 June - 25 July 1971, Catalogue No. 177 

Note: The motif of offering vessels on an altar table on the current bowl is extremely unusual and does not appear to be seen on porcelain from any other period. This extraordinary subject matter, along with the flower basket and fruit dish motifs, first appeared on Wanli porcelain and are rarely used on later wares. They provide a delightful depiction of some of the interior furnishings of the imperial court of the period.

Bowls of the same design and period include one illustrated in Mayuyama, Seventy Years, vol. 1, Tokyo, 1976, no. 936; one sold at Christie's London, 15 November 2000, lot 39; and one from the collection of Aage Backhaus, sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 31 October 1995, lot 391. 

Christie's. The R.F.A Riesco Collection of Important Chinese Ceramics, 27 November 2013, Hong Kong