Dish "nội phủ thị trung" (inner residence, enclosure of the center). Vietnamese, Lê-Trinh period, Trinh Doanh government, 1740–67. © 2012 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

decorated of two dragons striving for a flaming pearl. Porcelain with underglaze cobalt blue. On base, "nội phủ thị trung," the mark of the interior residence of the Central Palace. Made for the palace of lord Trinh, probably Trinh Doanh (r. 1740-1767). 15 x 3.2 cm (5 7/8 x 1 1/4 in.). Gift of John D. Constable. Accession number 2007.401. 

Provenance: By 1948, Ngo Quynh Dieu, Ris-Orangis, Essonne, France; by inheritance to her daughter, Mrs. Nguyen Anh, Hochiminhville, Vietnam [see note 1]; by 1999, given by Mrs. Anh to Dr. John D. Constable, Sherborn, MA; 2007, gift of Constable to the MFA. (Accession Date: June 27, 2007) 

[1] At her death Mrs. Ngo Quynh Dieu left her collection of Vietnamese ceramics to her daughter in Vietnam, Mrs. Ahn. Until Mrs. Anh gave part of the collection to John Constable, some pieces remained in the care of Mr. Michelle Becker of Sevres, France. 

Catalogue raisonné: Truong, Philippe, The Elephant and the Lotus: Vietnamese Ceramics in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 2007 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Cat. 196