AN IRON-RED AND GREEN-ENAMELED 'DRAGON' DISH, KANGXI PERIOD China, 1662-1722. Finely potted with deep curving sides, decorated in the center of the well with a large writhing iron-red five-clawed dragon pursuing the flaming pearl amidst wispy flames, all within a green ruyi-head border, the exterior decorated with four striding dragons each pursuing a flaming pearl.

Provenance: From an important European private collection, and thence by descent to the last owner. The base lacquered with an inventory number, 'P807'.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age, some wear and firing irregularities, fritting to rim. Good, consistent sound.

Weight: 782 g
Dimensions: Diameter 28.2 cm

The base with an apocryphal underglaze-blue six-character mark da Ming Chenghua nianzhi within a double circle.

Literature comparison:
The dragons painted on the present dish are stylistically closely related to those painted on iron-red-decorated wares made during the Zhengde reign. Compare a related Zhengde-marked 'dragon' bowl, painted with two iron-red dragons striding above green-enameled waves, in the Idemitsu Museum, illustrated in Chinese Ceramics in the Idemitsu Museum, Tokyo, 1986, no. 176. Compare a Zhengde-marked iron-red decorated dragon dish at Christie's London, 14 May 2013, lot 248.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 23 March 2012, lot 2086
Price: USD 6,250 or approx. EUR 8,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An iron-red-decorated 'dragon' dish, Kangxi period
Expert remark: Compare the closely related decoration, the main difference being that the ruyi border enclosing the dragon to the interior of the dish is enameled in blue (and not green as in the present lot). Note the similar size (27.9 cm). Further note that this lot was in restored condition, according to Christie's, which most likely was the reason for the rather low auction result.



康熙礬紅銅綠釉龍紋盤
中國，1662-1722年。侈口，弧腹，圈足。盤中銅綠色釉如意紋開光，開光中礬紅釉五爪龍戲珠紋。外壁一對礬紅釉雙龍戲珠紋。

來源：歐洲重要私人收藏，保存至最後一位主人。圈足内可見收藏編號P807。
品相：品相良好，一些磨損和燒製不規則。敲擊時聲音清亮。

重量：782 克
尺寸：直徑28.2 厘米

圈足内六字雙圈偽款“大明成化年製”。

文獻比較：
此龍紋在描繪風格上與一件正德時期礬紅釉龍紋盤非常相近。比較一件相近的正德款礬紅釉龍紋碗，飾有綠色波浪紋，收藏於出光美術館，見《Chinese Ceramics in the Idemitsu Museum》，東京，1986年，編號176。比較一件正德款礬紅釉龍紋盤，見倫敦佳士得，2013年5月14日，lot 248.

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2012年3月23日，lot 2086
價格：USD 6,250（相當於今日EUR 8,000）
描述：清康熙礬紅遊龍戲珠紋盤
專家評論：比較非常相近的裝飾，較不同的是此盤有青花如意紋開光，而非銅綠色釉。請注意相似的尺寸 (27.9 厘米)。請進一步注意，根據佳士得的說法，此盤曾經修復過，因此拍賣結果價格較低。