Page 80 - Davies Collection of Chinese Porcelain

Two202. Five plates of fine white porcelain. decorated with figures of ladies, one

carrying wine, the other a sacrificial cup, as an offering of tribute to the Emperor.

On two others are large insects and foliage, and the remaining plate has the figure

of a hawk perched on the branch of a begonia tree. The borders have a trellis

design in delicate rouge-de-fer and white, with formal flowers similarly coloured.

On each plate are four medallions with characters, the interpretation of which is,

"Ten thousand years of happy augury to our beloved Emperor." These five plates

belonged originally to a set of sixty which were made as a presentation gift to the

Emperor Kang-He on his sixtieth birthday, and so far as is known only thirty

remain. All are richly enamelled in fine famille-verte colours on porcelain of rare

purity. The mark on each is a six character in double ring. Diameter lo inches.

203. Large size cylindrical vase, slightly rounded at shoulder and foot. Decorated
with figures of ladies and numerous children at play in a garden; at the base and in

the background are rocks. On the reverse is a willow tree with rich aubergine stem,

and in the distance mountains and clouds. The shoulder has a broad band of trellis

design intersected with four small reserves containing sacred emblems. On the neck

are two bands, one pencilled in black on green, the other in black on aubergine; the
former has a broken border of yellow outlined in black, and under the latter is a row

of small green dots. The decoration is in famille-verte colourings of rare quality
on a white ground. Mark, double ring. Kang-He period. Height 2o|- inches.

A204. vase with oviform body slightly extending at the foot, the neck terminating

in an out-turned lip with flat rim. The vase is entirely covered with a landscape scene

showing figures on horseback, pedestrians, a house, lake, bridge, mountains and rocks
;

on the neck is a smaller scene similarly treated. At the foot is a broad band of

pencilled design in rouge-de-fer on white, and round the shoulder another band of

brocade design also in rouge-de-fer and white. On the outside of the lip is a diaper

pattern band in aubergine, pencilled in black, and on the inside is a circle of Joey

heads in rouge-de-fer. All finely drawn and enamelled in famille-verte colourings
of rare quality. Six character mark in double circle. Kang-He period. Height 1 8 inches.

{See Illustration^ Plate X., facing page 35).

A205. cylindrical vase, the background of rich black enamel relieved with an

archaic design in pale green ; interspersed are large cheou characters (emblematic of

long life, health, and happiness) enamelled in green on rouge-de-fer. There are also

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