A LARGE CHINESE IMPERIAL BLUE AND WHITE 'DRAGON' BRUSH WASHER

SIX CHARACTER QIANLONG MARK AND OF THE PERIOD 1736-95

The deep sides decorated with two sinuous five-clawed dragons writhing over tempestuous waters, with stylised flames and clouds surrounding the mythical beasts, the base with a recessed glazed medallion painted with the reign mark in underglaze blue, 26.5cm dia.

Provenance: from the collection of Wing Commander F W Hilton (d.1990s), and thence by descent. According to an accompanying card, the bowl was purchased from Riddett and Adams Smith on 4th February 1964 at a sale of the J W Richardson collection of Chinese porcelain, which was formed when Richardson was resident in Beijing at the end of the 19th century.

Cf. S Marchant & Son, Exhibition of Qing Mark and Period Blue and White, no.27, and Exhibition of Imperial Porcelain of Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong, p.74, no.50 for two smaller pieces with this design; see also Marchant, Recent Acquisitions 2010, pp.82-83, no.46 for another example included in a more recent exhibition; for comparable Qianlong mark and period pieces sold at auction, see Sotheby's Hong Kong, 11th July 2020, lot 3612, Sotheby's New York, 12th September 2018, lot 149, and Christie's New York, 22nd March 2007, lot 333; see also H Garner, Oriental Blue & White, pl.83A for a similarly decorated Tongzhi mark and period piece from the B C Tattenhall Collection.