Lot 718. A doucai 'dragon' bowl, Yongzheng six-character mark in seal script in in underglaze blue within a double circle and of the period (1723-1735); 8 in. (20.3 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 70,000 - USD 100,000. © Christie's 2021

The flaring, conical sides rise to a notched rim, and are decorated with two writhing five-clawed dragons, one depicted in green enamel and the other in yellow enamel, each emerging from foaming waves, and separated by flaming pearls and cloud scrolls.

Note: Doucai bowls of this type bear two types of reign mark: marks in standard script, which are more frequently found, and marks in an archaistic script, such as on the present bowl, which are much more rare.

It has been noted by Peter Y. K. Lam that certain porcelains with Yongzheng reign marks feature a distinctive qing character, where the first inner stroke of the yue radical is written vertically, rather than horizontally, as is seen on the present bowl. See Peter Y. K. Lam, “Four Studies on Yongzheng and Qianlong Imperial Ware,” published in Ethereal Elegance. Porcelain Vases of the Imperial Qing; The Huaihaitang Collection, Hong Kong, 2007, p. 53. Lam relates this unusual radical to similar inscriptions of the qing character on late Kangxi-period porcelain, and suggests that Yongzheng-marked porcelains with this style of inscription may date from early in the reign period of the new emperor.

A bowl and cover of this pattern, with a Yongzheng standard script mark and of the period, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - 38 - Porcelains in Polychrome and Contrasting Colours, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 251, no. 230. Another similar bowl and cover in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Qing Porcelain of Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong from the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989, p. 201, pl. 30. A pair of bowls and covers, formerly in the collection of H.R.H. Prince Henry, The Duke of Gloucester, K.G., K.T., K.P. (1900 - 1974), also with the marks in standard script, was sold at Christie's London, 5 November 2019, lot 173. A bowl without a cover, and with the mark in standard script, sold at Christie’s New York, 24 March 2011, lot 1712; and another bowl from the collection of Stephen Junkunc, III, also without a cover and with the mark in standard script, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 November 2012, lot 2139.

A pair of doucai conical 'dragon' bowls and covers, Yongzheng six-character marks in underglaze blue within double circles and of the period (1723-1735), formerly in the collection of H.R.H. Prince Henry, The Duke of Gloucester, K.G., K.T., K.P. (1900 - 1974); 8 1/8 in. (20 cm.) diam. Estimate GBP 30,000 - GBP 50,000. Price realised GBP 212,500 at Christie's London, 5 November 2019, lot 173. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019.

 Cf. my post: A pair of doucai conical 'dragon' bowls and covers, Yongzheng six-character marks and of the period (1723-1735)

A doucai conical bowl, Yongzheng six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle and of the period (1723-1735); 7 5/8 in. (19.3 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 15,000 - USD 20,000. Price realised USD 92,500 at Christie’s New York, 24 March 2011, lot 1712. © Christie's Images Ltd 2011

Cf.my post: A doucai conical bowl, Yongzheng six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle and of the period (1723-1735)

 A fine doucai conical 'Dragon' bowl, Yongzheng six-character mark within double-circles and of the period (1723-1735) from the collection of Stephen Junkunc, III; 7 5/8 in. (19.3 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 700,000 - HKD 900,000. Price realised HKD 740,000 at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 November 2012, lot 2139. © Christie's Images Ltd 2012.

Cf. my post: Imperial Qing Ceramics From A Southeast Asian Collector sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 28 November 2012

 Christie's. Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 18 march 2021