Lot 2928. A fine and very rare carved archaistic turquoise-enamelled bowl, Yongzheng six-character mark within double-circles and of the period (1723-1735);  5 7/8 in. (15 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 1,000,000 - HKD 1,500,000 (USD 130,000 - USD 190,000). Price Realised HKD 5,540,000 (USD 714,527). © Christie's Images Ltd 2011.

The bowl is potted with thin rounded sides turning out slightly at the rim, carved in relief with two stylised archaistic mythical dragons around the lower body against a ground of incised leiwen, below a plain band and a keyfret border around the mouth, the exterior covered with a turquoise enamel, the interior and base with a transparent glaze, box.  

Provenance: Sold at Christie's London, 3 December 1973, lot 339
The Glatz Collection, London, 1977
Acquired from a private collection, Milan   

Literature: A. du Boulay, Christie's Pictorial History of Chinese Ceramics, 1984, p. 222, no. 6  

Notes: Bowls of this pattern were produced in the 18th century and reflected the Qing emperors' interest in archaism.

Compare with very similar examples of this colour illustrated by He Li, Chinese Ceramics: from the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, London, 1996, fig. 559; and R. Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994, vol. 2, no. 911. A larger bowl but without carved dragons is illustrated in Palace Museum Collection of Official Ware of the Qing Dynasty, vol. 1 part 2, Beijing, 2005, p. 448, pl. 211 (26 cm. diam.).