Lot 4054. A Rare Yuan Blue And White 'Lotus Pond' Charger, Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368); 14 1/2 in. (37 cm.) diam., Japanese wood box. Estimate HK$1,800,000 - HK$2,200,000 (US$233,339 - US$285,192). Price realised:  HK$29,220,000 (US$3,763,594). © Christie's Image Ltd 2012

The dish with rounded sides is finely painted to the interior with lotus flowers and aquatic plants in vivid blue tones, surrounded with a band of scrolling lotus on the cavetto. The everted rim is bordered by diaper designs. The underside has a border of scrolling lotus matching the cavetto. The foot rim and base are unglazed, revealing the orange biscuit body. 

Provenance: A Japanese private collection, acquired in the 1960s

Note: There appear to be two different rim decorations on this type of 'lotus pond' dishes. A slightly larger example (40.5 cm. diam.) with the same diaper border on the rim as the present lot is in the collection of the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, illustrated in R. Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum Istanbul, A Complete Catalogue - II - Yuan and Ming Dynasty Porcelains, London, 1986, p. 496, no. 570 (TKS 15/1429).

The other variation to the rim decoration is a classic scroll band, exemplified by a large example (44 cm. diam.) with a foliated rim in the Tianminlou Collection, illustrated in Blue & White Porcelain from the Collection of Tianminlou Foundation, Shanghai, 1996, pl. 3; where the author states that lotus pond is a common theme on Yuan blue and white wares, and their large dish size was influenced by wares from the Middle East or Islamic areas. Another smaller dish (28.3 cm. diam.) with a rounded rim discovered in South Sulawesi was in the collection of Adam Malik and later sold at Christie's London, 13 November 2001, lot 117.

Christie's. Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art. 28 November 2012. Hong Kong