Lot 1468. A rare tixi black lacquer dish, Yuan dynasty (1279-1368); 10 in. (25.5 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 25,000 - USD 35,000. Price realised USD 25,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013.

The circular dish is raised on a slightly tapered ring foot and has shallow, rounded sides. The interior is carved through the black and red lacquer layers with a central motif of five small radiating mushroom-shaped spokes encircled by three rows of ruyi cloud scrolls, and on the exterior is carved with a row of pendent ruyi scrolls, all below the plain rim. A single character, chen, is written in red lacquer on the base, Japanese wood box.

Provenance: Mayuyama, Tokyo, Japan.

Note: This dish is very similar in design and size to one dated to the Southern Song dynasty illustrated in the exhibition catalogue, The Colors and Forms of Song and Yuan China: Featuring Lacquerware, Ceramics and Metalwares, Nezu Institute of Fine Arts, Tokyo, 2004, no. 63. As with the present dish, this latter dish has three rows of ruyi scrolls on the interior.

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, New York, 19 - 20 September 2013