A rare blue and white dish with persian inscription. Zhengde six-character mark within double circles and of the period  (1506-1521). Photo Christie's Image Ltd, 2011

The gently curving sides rising from a short slightly tapering foot, the exterior painted with six roundels enclosing Persian inscriptions, interspersed with scrolling flowering tendrils below a narrow band of roundels, the interior with a central roundel containing a further invocation surrounded by a band of lotus blooms; 6¼ in. (15.9 cm.) diam. Estimate 20,000 - £30,000.  Price Realized £25,000

明正德   青花阿拉伯文轉枝蓮紋盤   雙圈雙行六字楷書款

Notes: Compare a blue and white dish with Islamic calligraphy illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (II), Hong Kong 2000, no. 66, p.71.

Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 8 November 2011; London, King Street www.christies.com