A Meissen plate, circa 1729-31. Photo: Bonhams.

Painted in Kakiemon style with the Shiba Onko pattern and a foliate and floral border around the brown-edged rim, 23.1cm diam., crossed swords mark in underglaze-blue, incised Former's mark x for Johann Daniel Rehschuh, incised Japanese Palace inventory number N=75-/ W (very minor wear). Estimate £15,000 - 20,000 (€19,000 - 25,000)

Provenance: The Royal collections of Saxony, Japanese Palace, Dresden;
Anon. sale, Christie's Geneva, 3 December 1982, lot 152

Literature: U. Pietsch, Frühes Meissener Porzellan aus einer Privatsammlung (1993), no. 71

Exhibited: Lübeck, Museum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte der Hansestadt Lübeck - St. Annen-Museum, 'Frühes Meissener Porzellan aus einer Privatsammlung', 14 November 1993-31 January 1994;
Aachen, Museen der Stadt Aachen - Couven Museum, 'Frühes Meissener Porzellan aus einer Privatsammlung', 26 February-20 April 1994

The 1770 inventory of the Japanese Palace records: 'Eilf Stück Teller mit braunen Rande, inwendig Pagoden und Blumen gemahlt, 9½. (sic.) Zoll tief, 9¾. Zoll in Diam: No. 75' [eleven plates with brown rims, the inside painted with pagodas and flowers...] (quoted by Claus Boltz, Japanisches Palais-Inventar 1770 und Turmzimmer-Inventar 1769, in Keramos 153 (July 1996), p. 74.

A similar example is in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, published by A.L. den Blaauwen, Meissen Porcelain in the Rijksmuseum (2000), no. 162. For a discussion of the 'Shiba Onko' pattern and its popularity in the 18th century, see J. Weber, Meißener Porzellane mit Dekoren nach ostasiatischen Vorbildern, vol. II (2013), pp. 136f.