CHONGZHEN 1628 – 1644 Transitional Porcelain

A Pair of Ming Kraak Blue and White Porcelain Bowl of `Walsingham` Type, Chongzhen Period 1628-1644. This Late Ming Porcelain Bowl has Deep Sides Divided into Ten Lobes and with a Barbed rim. The Interior Base Decorated with a Roundel (Cakra motifs, representing the Buddhist `Wheel of law`) Containing a Mountainous Shore-side Landscape. The Border with an Extensive Shore-side Landscape with Mountains, Flags, Pagodas and Boats. Between these Two Designs are Ten Wheels. The Outside of the Bowl is Decorated with Flying Horses Above Flowering Branches.
SOLD

Condition
Very good, a small number of small glaze chips and some light fritting.
Size
Diameter : 17 cm (6 3/4 inches)
Provenance
N/A
Stock number
22904
References
For Another Example See : Kraak Porcelain (Maura Rinaldi,Bamboo Publishing,1989,London) Page 146, Shape II.1. Later Cruder Examples were Recovered From the Hatcher Cargo of c.1643. For a Further Wanli Bowl of this Design in the Ardebil Collection See : Chinese Porcelain Collections in the Near east, Topkapi and Ardebil (T.Misugsi,Hong Kong University Press,1972. Reprint of 1981) Item A.157. For a 16th century version of this type of bowl see our `Sold Items` 17505 and for a Swatow type version see 19375. For a Hatcher Cargo example of this type of blue and white porcelain bowl see our `Sold Items` numbers 19809, 19812, 19958.

Photos

Information

Walsingham Bowls :
This Bowl is Similar to the Famous `Walsingham` Bowl at Burghley House, however the painting of the present example is much cruder. The Bowl with its Fine Silver-gilt Mounts was, According to Tradition, a Gift from Queen Elizabeth I to her Godchild Thomas Walsingham (1568 -1630, a Cousin of the Queen`s Minister Sir Francis Walsingham). See : The Burghley Porcelains, An Exhibition from The Burghley House Collection and Based on the 1688 Inventory and 1690 Devonshire Schedule (Japan Society, New York,1986) page 80 and Illustrated on page 81, item 5. The Catalogue Goes on to say "We Know Sir Francis Drake Brought Back to England in 1580 China from a Captured Spanish Ship, and it Would be Surprising if Some of the China had not Gone to the Queen, who had Bought Shares in Drake`s Voyage. Several Sherds of Blue and White, Found at Drake`s Bay in California where Sir Francis is said to Have Careened his Ships, Bare Designs Greatly Resembling those on this Bowl".... " In 1731 Lady Osborne, Granddaughter of Sir Thomas Walsingham, gave the Bowl to the Eighth Earl of Exeter, the Only Male Heir of the Family". The Walsingham Bowl has Been Repaired.