A rare large Blue and White 'Lotus Bouquet' dish. Ming Dynasty, Yongle period

A rare large Blue and White 'Lotus Bouquet' dish. Ming Dynasty, Yongle period.  Photo Sotheby's

well potted with a broad flat base rising to shallow rounded sides, painted in the centre in vivid tones of cobalt with a lotus bouquet of thin lotus stalks, arrowhead, pondweed and millet tied together with a ribbon, enclosed on the cavetto with a composite floral scroll of camellia, chrysanthemum, lotus, and peony, all below a wave border, the exterior painted with a similar composite scroll between a band of 'classic' scroll around the mouth and key-fret around the base', the unglazed base fired to a bright orange; 41 cm., 16 1/8 in. Estimate 300,000—400,000 HKD. Lot Sol 524,000 HKD

PROVENANCE: Christie's Hong Kong, 1st October 1991, lot 739

Sotheby's. Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, 08 Apr 11, Hong Kong www.sothebys.com