Lot 3121. A green-ground aubergine-enamelled 'dragon' bowl, mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 15.1 cm, 5 7/8  in. Estimate 500,000 — 700,000 HKD (63,665 — 89,131 USD). Lot sold 625,000 HKD (79,581 USD). Courtesy Sotheby's

skilfully potted with deep rounded sides rising from a tapered foot to a flared rim, the exterior superbly incised and enamelled in aubergine with a dynamic scene depicting a pair of dragons soaring sinuously above crashing waves amidst flaming wisps, each scaly mythical beast rendered five-clawed and chasing a flaming pearl, all against a bright grass-green ground, the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark within a double circle.

Note: Green- and aubergine-enamelled bowls of this design from the Yongzheng reign are extremely rare, and were modelled on earlier prototypes from the Kangxi period. Such design rendered in this colour scheme proved to be popular among the Qing court, as similar bowls continued to be made in the subsequent reigns.

A closely related example from the Qing court collection and now preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures in the Palace Museum. Miscellaneous Enamelled Porcelains Plain Tricolour Porcelains, Shanghai, 2009, pl. 129. The identical size and close comparison of the mark calligraphy on these bowls suggest they are probably by the same hand and may have been destined as pairs. Bowls of this design from the Kangxi and Qianlong reigns are also illustrated ibid., pls 126 and 130.

Sotheby's.  Qing Imperial Porcelain A Private Collection, Hong Kong, 08 October 2019