A pair of Chinese iron red bowls

Daoguang period

Both with six-character Daoguang mark to undersides; sold with associated box. (2).

H: 3 3/4, Dia: 4 7/8 in. (H: 2.86, Dia: 9.53 cm.)

Provenance: Ms. Fu, Calgary, Canada. Ms. Fu was an auctioneer in Hong Kong and these items were acquired before 1994. This lot comes with a letter of provenance.

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Notes: This semi-spherical pair of bowls are intricately decorated, featuring a delicate belt of knotted ruyi beads along the rim. Below the ruyi patterning are five groups of motifs, consisting of additional ruyi branches, peaches, and wan over the head of bats with outstretched wings. The motifs are contained by double-rings at the rim and foot. Like many other Daoguang imperial porcelains, this pair is expertly painted in a warm, alum red with varying depth. The Daoguang Emperor was frugal, and in regard to imperial porcelain production, he ordered the artisans to carefully imitate the simple, yet elegant Yongzheng porcelains. This stylistic direction is a deviation from the extravagant style established during the Qianlong period. Beyond the aesthetic qualities, the survival of these bowls as a pair furthers their intrinsic value. References: The Palace Museum, No. 00155705; China Guardian, May 2022, Lot 4015.

此件拍品圓口，深腹，圈足。外壁口沿和圈足處各繪以雙弦紋。上腹部繪一周結帶如意垂珠紋，連綿不斷；下腹部繪五組如意勾枝托桃紋，間飾五組蝙蝠萬字紋，寓意“福壽萬代”。其造型精巧雅緻，器型規整，構圖嚴謹而疏朗，色彩熱烈富有變化。品相完美，成對保存，為道光官窯瓷器之精品。故宮博物院有件道光粉彩官窯碗與此碗紋飾造型較為相似，可資參考。

故宮博物院館藏，編號故00155705 ；中國嘉德2022年05月拍賣，編號4015。