Lot 123 A Chinese blue and white 'Carps' bowl

A Chinese blue and white 'Carps' bowl

Jiajing mark and of the period

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€ 30.000 – € 60.000

OH: H. 6,8 cm, Diam. 13,6 cm

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The finely potted bowl is of deep, rounded form, supported on a foot rim encircled by double-line borders. The exterior is painted in underglaze cobalt blue with four lively carp swimming among lotus blossoms, leaves and aquatic plants. The slightly raised centre of the interior is decorated with a further carp swimming amid waves and water plants. The base bears the six-character Da Ming Jia Jing Nian Zhi mark in underglaze cobalt blue within a double circle.
The word for lotus, lian (蓮), is a homophone of lian (連), meaning continuous, while fish, yu (魚), is a homophone of yu (餘), meaning surplus. Together, they form the rebus Lian Nian You Yu (連年有餘), expressing wishes for enduring prosperity and abundance year after year.
此碗胎體精細，器形深圓，下承圈足，足部環飾雙弦紋。外壁以青花繪四尾鯉魚，穿梭於蓮花、荷葉及水草之間，姿態靈動。碗心微鼓，另繪一尾鯉魚游於水波與水草之中。底部青花雙圈內書「大明嘉靖年製」六字款。
‘蓮’ 與 ‘連’ 同音，‘魚’ 與 ‘餘’ 同音，二者相結合構成 ‘連年有餘’ 的吉祥寓意，寄託生活富足、年年豐裕的美好願望。
The pair to this bowl, from the collection of Sir Esler Dening, G.C.M.G., was sold by Sotheby's London, 23 May 1972, lot 139.
Reference:
A quasi identical example was included in the 2009-2010 exhibition 'The Fame of Flame. Imperial Wares of the Jiajing and Wanli Periods', University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, and illustrated in the eponymous catalogue, pp. 78-79.
Provenance:
Sotheby's London, 7-8 June 2000, 'Chinese Export Porcelain and Chinese and Japanese Works of Art', lot 367.
S. Marchant & Son, London, with their label to the base.
The collection of Dr. Lowell S. Young, San Francisco, collection no. 22. Acquired from the above on 4 October 2004.
Marchant, London, with their label to the base.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above on 7 November 2012 and accompanied by a copy of their original invoice. (see added scan)
Exhibited and published:
S. Marchant & Son, London, included in their November 2004 exhibition of 'Ming Blue and White: Jiajing - Chongzhen Including Datex Examples' and published in the accompanying catalogue, p. 7, no. 5.
Marchant, London, included in their November 2012 exhibition of 'The Dr. Lowell Young Collection. Ming & Qing Blue and White Porcelain', and published in the accompanying catalogue, pp. 4-5, no. 1. Also illustrated in their 2025 publication 'One Hundred Years', Vol. II, p. 94, fig 1148.