Sold Ceramics - Sold Chine de commande - Armorial / Pseudo-Armorial wares 1700-1800 - Armorial - Dutch

Object 2011499

Dish

China

1710-1730

Height 18 mm (0.71 inch), diameter of rim 222 mm (8.74 inch), diameter of footring 120 mm (4.72 inch), weight 317 grams (11.18 ounce (oz.))

Published: Porzellanschätze der Kangxi-Zeit / Porcelain Treasures of the Kangxi Period, (Exhibition catalogue, Deutsch-Chinesische Verlagsanstalt, Düsseldorf / Beijing 2015), pp.226-227, cat 125.

Exhibited: Porzellanschätze der Kangxi-Zeit / Porcelain Treasures of the Kangxi Period, (Exhibition catalogue, Deutsch-Chinesische Verlagsanstalt, Düsseldorf / Beijing 2015), pp.226-227, cat 125.

Dish on footring, flat underglaze brown-edged rim (jia mangkou). Chinese Imari, decorated in underglaze blue and overglaze iron-red and gold with a coat of arms. On the sides a flower border, round the rim flower sprays. On the reverse six single prunus blossoms in iron-red.

This coat of arms, a Chevron between three eagles and a bezant, in chief an unidentified charge; the crest is a heron-like bird with an eel (or snake) in its beak between two wings, was borne by the Van Gellicum family. It can be seen on a seal of 1921 which belonged to J.A. van Gellicum, who was a cavalry major. He descended from a family of probably wealthy farmers in the village of Deil in the Betuwe, Gelderland, The Netherlands. In this family either Jan Roelofs van Gellicum (1684-) or his son, Roelof van Gellicum (1708-), could have ordered this armorial porcelain. Jan Roelof married in 1707 and his son Roelof in 1749, the latter to Elisabeth Hoeken (1718-). In the 18th century three members of another branch of the Van Gellicum family (who are not related to the Deil family as far as is known) could have ordered these armorial dishes. The first two are the surgeon Chr. van Gellekom living in Amsterdam in 1742 and Hermanus van Gellicum, who also lived in Amsterdam about 1750-1760. The third is most interesting, Harmen van Gellecom, a native from Gorinchem The Netherlands, who was kwartiermeester (quarter-master or leading seaman), on four East Indiamen sailing on behalf of the Dutch East India Company, (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, VOC), Chamber of Zeeland to Batavia between the years 1728 and 1736. The date of this porcelain correlates with his time in the Indies. This dish was part of a very large set of dishes, over 100 recorded examples (so far only dishes have been identified) Three sizes are known 380 mm (14.96 inch), 355 mm (13.98 inch) and 225 mm (8.86 inch). On the sides a floral scroll border, the rim with rocks, flowers, leaves and zig-zag lines. The zig-zag lines represent a thunderbolt, seen on Delft faience of the first quarter of the 18th century and based on Japanese patterns. (Kroes 2007, pp.118-119)

On basis of 20th century lacquer seals these arms are usually attributed to the Van Gellicum family, but since nothing seems to be known about 18th century members, the identification is questionable. Dishes of this design are not rare and usually have a Dutch pedigree. There are other examples (unpublished) in the Drents Museum Assen, and the Keramiekmuseum Princessehof, Leeuwarden. (Jörg & Van Campen 1997, p.302)

For identically decorated dishes, please see:

Condition: A frit to the rim and a X-shaped hairline to the base.

References:

Jörg & Van Campen 1997, cat. 353

Amsterdam 2006, lot 1095

Kroes 2007, cat.no. 20a & 20b

Sargent 2012, p.183

Düsseldorf 2015, cat. 123.1-123.5

Suchomel 2015, cat. 196

Price: Sold.