Lot 3015. A fine and rare famille rose ‘boneless-style’ bowl, Yongzheng six-character mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1723-1735); 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 700,000 - HKD 900,000. Price realised HKD 875,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The bowl is delicately enamelled depicting two butterflies fluttering around a cluster of flowers beside a garden rock. The interior is plain, box. 

Note: The decoration on this bowl is executed in the ‘boneless’ technique, so called because the design is painted in without the use of outlines. This style of decoration is perhaps the least common of the enamelling techniques used at Jingdezhen as it was too complicated to use on a mass production scale, and if not handled well, gives the impression that the piece was unfinished. The technique is discussed in detail by R. Scott, ‘18th Century Overglaze Enamels: the Influence of Technological Development on Painting Style’, Style in the East Asian Tradition, Percival David Foundation, London, 1987, pp. 158-164.