Sets of Plates & Dinnerware

Made in the Qianlong Era circa 1770, these remarkable Chinese blue and white porcelain dishes were hand painted in an exquisite combination of soft and deep cobalt blues.
The pure white porcelain base is covered with a glaze of a slightly blueish tint.
Because they are hand-painted, each dish has an individual character through subtle variations in the details.
On the pair of dishes in the center, delicate peonies unfurl near a single chrysanthemum.
The dishes have four panels on the border, each showing elegant branches with beautiful plum blossoms.
The total effect is delightful!
Deeply rooted In Chinese tradition, the beautiful flowers on these dishes have symbolic meanings.
Much loved for their bold size and colors, peonies are known as the flower of “riches and honor (fuguihua),”
The cherished chrysanthemum, cultivated in China for three millennia, symbolizes both longevity and intellectual achievements, its allure transcending time.
While the plum blossoms, with their enduring bloom in the harshness of late winter, embody the virtues of resilience, purity, and optimism.
The undersides of these two dishes are marked in the center with the open lozenge, one of the revered Eight Precious Things*, and a symbol of good fortune and abundance.
Also, painted on the underside along the border, we see a traditional pair of scrolling vines (see image#12).
Taking center stage on the left and right dishes, a traditional garden tableau unfurls.
We see flowers before a garden fence, buds emanating from rockwork, and plum blossoms near a bamboo screen.
The scene encapsulates the essence of an 18th-century Chinese garden.
On the reverse, once again, we see the traditional pair of scrolling vines gracing the border.

Dimensions: 8.5″-8.75″ in diameter x 1″ in height

Condition: Excellent

*”The Eight Precious Things are general symbols of good luck and prosperity in Chinese art.” See Chinese Art A Guide to Motifs and Visual Imagery by P B Welch, pg 228.

This set of six blue and white Chinese porcelain dishes was hand-painted 300 years ago, circa 1700, during the Kangxi dynasty. According to Sir Harry Garner, author of Oriental Blue and White, “The Kangxi blue and white reached a technical excellence that has never been surpassed.” These dishes are of the rare “double dinner” size, 11″ in diameter. The dishes are each hand painted in a vibrant deep cobalt blue. We see a rocky outcropping with a pair of songbirds, beautiful peonies in full bloom, and a delicate flowering plum tree. The effect is gorgeous! The crisp cobalt blue border has intricate patterning with panels showing a single peony separated by scrolling vines and floral decoration.
This decorative style was especially popular during the early Kangxi period.*
On the underside, the dishes have the Chinese Kangxi Era square or “Fret” mark inside a double circle in underglaze blue. A traditional Chinese scene can be beautiful and also convey symbolic meaning. Peonies symbolize female beauty, royalty, wealth, and honor in Chinese tradition and have long been adored for their bold size and beautiful colors. The plum tree flowers early in the spring, announcing the end of winter and the rebirth of nature. Hence, it symbolizes endurance and hope.

Dimensions:11″ in diameter x 1″ tall

Condition: Excellent

* Blue and white shards painted with rocks and floral subjects have been excavated from Kangxi era Jingdezhen private kiln sites and early 18th-century Chinese shipwrecks sunk in the South China Sea.