Lot 3817. A Longquan celadon carved and moulded 'Dragon' dish, Late Yuan-Early Ming dynasty, 14th century, 14 in. (35.5 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 150,000 - HKD 200,000. Price realised HKD 400,000 © Christie's Images Ltd 2011

Sturdily potted with shallow rounded sides rising to an everted rim, the center of the interior decorated in relief with a scaly four-clawed dragon leaping in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl', below scrolls carved in the well, the exterior carved with chrysanthemum petals, all under a glaze of sea-green colour, an unglazed circle on the base burnt orange in the firing, box.

Provenance: Frank Caro Co., New York, 21 May 1974. 

Note: A number of these dishes with an upright dragon in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl' are known. Compare with a dish of this same size in the Sedgewick Collection, included in the Oriental Ceramic Society exhibition, Celadon Wares, October - December 1947, and illustrated in the Catalogue, pl. I, no. 40. Other related dishes are illustrated by R. Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, vol. I, London, 1986, pp. 255-6, nos. 58-62; and a slightly smaller example from the Gordon Collection (34 cm. diam.) was sold at Christie's New York, 24 March 2011, lot 1134.