A wucai 'lotus pond' dish, 17th century with Chenghua mark.
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Finely painted to the interior with a central medallion enclosing a lotus pond with a bird hoovering above. Around the rim further lotus plants, aquatic plants and mandarin ducks, all within a double line border repeated with a single line at the rim, the exterior painted with three lotus plants. An underglaze blue six-character mark. Diameter 16 cm.
Cracks, chips.
Provenance
From the Collection of Klas E Böök (1909-1980), thence by descent. A Swedish diplomat and civil servant. Mr Böök first had a career within banking, that led up to the position of Governor of the Swedish National Bank from 1948 to 1951. His diplomatic career began when he was appointed head of the Commercial Department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and envoy from 1947 to 1948. He was minister in Ottawa from 1951 to 1956, ambassador in Beijing from 1956 to 1961, also accredited as envoy to Bangkok from 1956 to 1959. Böök was ambassador in New Delhi, also accredited to Colombo and Kathmandu from 1961 to 1965 and in Bern from 1965 to 1972. He had special assignments for the Foreign Ministry from 1972 to 1975.
Exhibitions
To see other lots sold from the Collection of Klas E. Böök, see a Zitan Altartable with cloisonne placques, Bukowskis, Sale 649, lot no 981.