Lot 89. A white and an aubergine-ground sancai bowl, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Estimate 8,000 — 12,000 HKD (903 - 1,355 EUR). Lot sold 12,500 HKD (1,411 EUR). Photo Sotheby's

the white-ground bowl incised with three gnarled flowering trees on the exterior and a lingzhi sprig on the interior, coloured in green, yellow and aubergine enamels, reserved on the white-enamelled biscuit, the aubergine-ground bowl similarly decorated and coloured, with three floral sprays to the exterior and a lingzhisprig to the interior; 19.2 and 17.5 cm, 7 5/8  and 6 7/8  in.

Provenance: 

The white-ground bowl: 
Yves Mallié, Paris, 1960. 
Bluett & Sons Ltd, London, 1960 (£95).
Collection of Roger Pilkington (1928-69), from 1967 (£140). 

The aubergine-ground bowl: 
Collection of Major C. Bollom, until 1957.
Bluett & Sons Ltd, London, 1957 (£18, one of a pair).
Collection of Roger Pilkington (1928-69), from 1958 (£30, one of a pair).

Note: Bowls of this type, which were very popular with collectors before and after the War, used to be known as ‘Brinjal’ bowls on account of the aubergine colour, ‘brinjal’ being a common name for eggplants in south and southeast Asia.