Lot 311. A large celadon-glazed moulded floral bowl, Qianlong six-character seal mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1736-1795); 10 ¼ in. (26 cm.) diam. Estimate GBP 25,000 - GBP 35,000 (USD 32,550 - USD 45,570). © Christie's Images Ltd 2019.

The exterior is elaborately moulded and incised with a continuous leafy scroll bearing six peony flowers, between an archaistic cloud-scroll surrounding the mouth rim and a keyfret band around the foot. The interior is incised with a central peony spray surrounded by further peony scrolls around the cavetto. The bowl is covered in a lustrous celadon glaze pooling to a darker colour in the incised decoration and thinning on the moulded extremities. 

Note: Compare the present lot to three similar bowls sold at Christie's Hong Kong: the first on 31 October 1994, lot 631; the second on 28 November 2006, lot 1587; and the third on 1 June 2011, lot 3710. A Yongzheng example, decorated with a lotus pond scene and sold at Christie's Tokyo, 17th February 1980, is illustrated by Anthony du Boulay in Christie's Pictorial History of Chinese Ceramics, London, 1984, p. 219. 

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, London, 14 May 2019