Chinese Porcelain
Chinese Imari 1700-1800
Page 2
Chinese porcelain producers developed new types of decorations in the early 18th century, Chinese Imari being one of them. It is characterised by a combination of underglaze blue and overglaze red and gold. Details are sometimes in black and green enamels. This development was a reaction to the success of Japanese Imari porcelain with a similar colour scheme. Sometimes Chinese imitations are direct copies of Japanese examples but more often Chinese Imari is decorated with typical Chinese motifs that are closely related to the underglaze-blue patterns of the period. However, the use of red and gold makes Chinese Imari more lavish. Landscapes, flowering plants, birds and mythical creatures are recurring motifs. Depictions of humans are less frequent and apart from armorial pieces, European designs are quite rare. The shapes fit into the normal export assortment. Chinese Imari was not only in demand in the West, but also in south-east Asia, India, and the Ottoman Empire. In the VOC (Dutch East India Company, 1602–1799) records it is called 'Chinese-Japanese' and in addition to blue and white and enamelled wares, this was a standard type in the Company's assortment that was bought in Canton until the end of the 18th century.
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.
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;
- Porzellan aus China und Japan. Die Porzellangalerie der Landgrafen von Hessen-Kassel, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Kassel, Berlin 1990, p.360 & p.388, cat. 144a.
- Made in China. Porcelain from the Leo and Doris Hodroff Collection at Winterthur (R.W. Fuchs II & D.S. Howard, Winterthur 2005), p.42, cat. 7.
- 300 Treasures, (F. Suchomel, Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, Prague, 2015), p.365, cat. 211.
Condition: Some firing flaws and wear to the decoration, a hairline to the rim.
References:
Price: € 999 Currency Converter
Chinese Imari 1700-1800 - Page 2
Object 2012580
Teapot
China
1700-1720
Height with cover 105 mm (4.13 inch), height without cover 74 mm (2.91 inch), diameter handle to spout 160 mm (6.30 inch), dimension of mouthrim 50 mm (1.97 inch), diameter of footring 53 mm (2.08 inch), weight with cover 309 grams (10.90 ounce (oz.)), weight cover 49 grams (1.73 ounce (oz.))
Pear-shaped, ribbed teapot with fluted body on footring. Straight spout, curved C-shaped handle. Domed ribbed cover with a round knob. Chinese Imari, decorated in underglaze blue, overglaze iron-red and gold with various butterflies and insects in flight. On the spout and handle flower sprays. Around the rim a narrow border of lotus leaves in underglaze blue with iron-red and gold accents. On and around the rim of the cover a narrow border of lotus leaves in underglaze blue with iron-red and gold accents.
For an identically shaped, sized and decorated teapot, please see:
Condition: Firing flaws to the underside of the handle and the footring. A firing tension hairline (caused by the firing process) to the handle and a fleabite to the underside of the cover.
Price: € 499 Currency Converter
Chinese Imari 1700-1800 - Page 2
Object 2011997
Dish
China
c.1720
Height 31 mm (1.22 inch), diameter of rim 225 mm (8.86 inch), diameter of footring 115 mm (4.53 inch), weight 342 grams (12.06 ounce (oz.))
Dish on footring with a flat, underglaze brown-edged, rim (jia mangkou). Chinese Imari, decorated in underglaze blue, overglaze iron-red, black and gold. In the centre a Chinese garden scene with a flowering peony plant and a large bamboo tree with a Lady on a swing looking down at a little dancing boy. On the sides a trellis pattern border with four flower heads. On the rim large incised lotus flower buds with a small border with floral elements. The reverse with two bamboo sprays. On the base an old circular paper collectors label.
Chinese Imari or 'Chinese Japanese' as it is referred to in the Dutch East India Company, (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, VOC) archives, was actually the Chinese answer to the popular Japanese Imari (after the port in Japan from which they were shipped), with its underglaze blue, iron-red and gold, that was produced in Arita for export from c.1680. (Jörg 2002/2, p.119)
This unusual dish is an interesting piece. On it the Chinese porcelain painter combined the underglaze blue and incised decoration technique with a very rare and unusual design of a Lady on a swing in 'Red & Gold' / 'Rouge-de-fer' with iron-red, black enamel and gold on the glaze.
The incised pattern is barely discernible to the naked eye unless the ware is held up to the light. The incised recesses have been filled with a transparent glaze to create a flat surface. The Chinese call this technique anhua (hidden decoration). (Emden 2015/1, p.132, cat. 122)
For an identically decorated dishes, please see:
- Sold Ceramics - Sold Chinese Imari 1700-1800 - Flowers, Animals and Long Elizas - Page 1 - Objects 2010450, 2011870 and 2011996.
Condition: Some wear to the decoration. A firing flaw and two frits to the rim one with a connected hairline.
References:
Price: € 999 Currency Converter
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