A Chinese imperial porcelain saucer dish, Tongzhi mark and of the period, painted in green and aubergine enamels with two five-clawed dragons encircling a flaming pearl amongst stylised clouds and flames, the underside painted with aubergine grapes...

A Chinese imperial porcelain saucer dish, Tongzhi mark and of the period, painted in green and aubergine enamels with two five-clawed dragons encircling a flaming pearl amongst stylised clouds and flames, the underside painted with aubergine grapes and green leaves, all on a yellow ground, painted six-character mark to the base, 13.1cm diameter Provenance: Formerly in a private European collection, purchased in Beijing between the 1920s and 1940s A similar example in the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, is illustrated by Hepburn Myrtle in the exhibition of Late Chinese Imperial Porcelain, 1980, no.43, p.31; another donated by Hugh Moss is illustrated by Laurence C.S. Tam in The Wonders of the Potter's Palette, Qing Ceramics from the Collection of Hong Kong Museum of Art, presented by the Urban Council, Hong Kong, 1984, no.114, collection no.C 80.52, pp.170/1; another is illustrated by Gunhild Avitabile in the exhibition catalogue From the Dragon's Treasure, Chinese Porcelain from the 19th and 20th centuries in the Weishaupt Collection, 1987, no.102, p.76; another in the Groninger Museum, illustrated by Christine van de Pijl-Ketel and Christien F. W. Smits in From Empire to People's Republic, catalogue no.35, collection no.1945-26, p.62; another is in the Percival David Foundation in the British Museum, collection no.PDF, B.710 and was acquired in 1966 from Bluett & Son.