A massive Chinese cloisonné dragon and phoenix dish 17th century

A massive Chinese cloisonné dragon and phoenix dish 17th century, boldly decorated with a large green scaly dragon and a single phoenix contesting a flaming pearl of wisdom in amongst cloud scrolls and a border of ruyi-like motifs in polychrome on a blue ground, the rim with traces of gilding, the reverse with a stylized lotus design and a tall flared foot, 53cm. Provenance: Mrs Mariquita Sedgwick, Sotheby's, London July 2nd 1968, lot 53; Bluetts; H. M. Knight. Exhibited: Oriental Ceramics Society Exhibition of Arts of the Ming Dynasty in 1957, no. 315. See Transactions Vol. 30, pl. 85. Bluett's exhibition of Chinese Decorative Arts, 1974, no.66, sold for £4,000. Cf. Brinker and Lutz Chinese Cloisonné, The Pierre Uldry Collection, no. 221 for a smaller dish with the same subject but dated to the 18th century. The dragon and the phoenix together represent happy omens and are considered to be the most auspicious of the mythical animals; they represent good fortune and blessings for the emperor and empress, which is re-emphasized by the clouds which symbolize the granting of all wishes.