Lot 3005. A rare pair of large iron-red and underglaze blue ‘dragon’ deep bowls, Kangxi six-character marks in underglaze blue within double circles and of the period (1662-1722); 7 3/8 in. (18.7 cm.) diam. Estimate 600,000 — 800,000 HKD. Price realised HKD 937,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The bowls are each decorated to the entre with a roundel enclosing an iron-red five clawed dragon amongst underglaze blue cloud scrolls and waves. The exterior of the bowl is decorated with nine dragons in various positions, each with a trailing fire scroll all on a ground of foaming crescent waves. The rim is decorated with a band of interlocking pierced cash symbols, Japanese wood boxes.

Provenance: A Japanese private collection acquired in Tokyo in the last 20 years

Note: Compare a very similar bowl of the same size in the Palace Museum Collection, Beijing, illustrated in Miscellaneous Enamelled Porcelains Plain Tricolour Porcelains, The Complete Collection of Treasures in the Palace Museum, Shanghai, 2009, pp. 184-185, pl. 146.