Chinese Imari 1700-1800 - Page 2

Object 2012000

Dish

China

1700-1725

Height 50 mm (1.97 inch), diameter of rim 350 mm (13.78 inch), diameter of footring 195 mm (7.68 inch), weight 1.161 grams (40.95 ounce (oz.))

Large dish on footring with a flat underglaze brown-edged rim (jia mangkou). Chinese Imari, decorated in underglaze blue, overglaze iron-red and gold with a jardinière filled with miniature pierced rockwork and various flowering plants. The jardinière is flanked by flowering lotus, behind it a large leaf. On the sides a narrow border of alternating, stylized flowers, fruits and leaves on a pink-gold wash ground. On the rim acanthus leaves alternating with four peaches with an incised rosette. On the reverse two flowering peony sprays.

This dish represents an example of Chinese Imari with decoration on the rim that is apparently influenced by knowledge of European ornamentation. The ruffled leaves that constitute a distinctive feature of this decoration are not common on Chinese porcelain and were evidently influenced by an European example. (Suchomel 2015, p.365)

Interestingly, an identical rim decoration can be found on an armorial dish with the English coat of arms of Dr. William Walker of Hertfordshire. He was educated at Wakefield Grammar School and Trinity College Cambridge. He went to Paris in 1719 and travelled in Europe. He held many important posts including being Arch-deacon of Hereford, Chancellor of St.Davids and Dean and Rector of Bocking in Essex from 1725 to 1741. Here the peach with rosette is replaced by a cartouche with a rising sun, his crest, heraldically described as the sun rising in clouds all proper. Curiously this crest of Dr. Walker can also be found on armorial plates also closely copying this border design, dating around 1715, bearing the arms of Lord Somers, lord chancellor of England. Walker probably knew Somers socially and when Somers saw Walkers’ new service and wanted to keep up with his stylish friend, he copied the design. However, the esoteric detail of whose crest was whose was lost somewhere in translation. Around the same time the Walker crest was also found by sir Robert Walpole, later prime minister of England on his Imari armorial service when it arrived in England. (Howard 1974, p.177, pl.B2), (Fuchs & Howard 2005, p.42, cat. 7), (Litzenburg 2003, p 85, cat. 70)

This Walker service is dated c.1712, so therefore this dish can also be dated quite precise.

Keramiekmuseum Pricessehof Leeuwarden Chinese Imari Armorial dish Walker hertfordshire c 1712

Dish with the arms of Walker, c.1712, diameter 388 mm (15.28 inch), collection Keramiekmuseum Princessehof, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, inventory nr. NO 02447. (this dish is not included in this sale/offer)

For identically decorated dishes, please see;

Condition: Some firing flaws and wear to the decoration, a hairline to the rim.

References:

Howard 1974, p.177

Kassel 1990, cat. 144a

Litzenburg 2003, cat. 70

Fuchs & Howard 2005, cat. 7

Sargent 2012, p.183

Suchomel 2015, cat. 211

Price: € 999 Currency Converter