The centre is painted in underglaze blue with a gardenia spray, the border with single sprays of fruiting vine, pomegranates and flowering lotus. The exterior is painted with a continuous scroll of peonies or camellias. The underside has a Hongzhi six-character mark in blue.

This particularly beautiful design appears to have been first introduced during the Xuande period (1426-1435) and continued to the end of the 16^th century. It is represented in major museums throughout the world, but more often with slightly later examples of the Zhengde period (1506-1521).

Literature: Anthony du Boulay, The Duberly Collection of Chinese Art at Winchester College (Winchester, 2019), p. 44; Anthony du Boulay, Chinese Porcelain (London, 1963), pl. 33

Provenance: Bequeathed as part of the Duberly Collection, 1978; purchased by Major Montagu and Lady Eileen Duberly from H.R. Norton, 21 February 1950 (£100); formerly in the Constantinidi Collection, sold Sotheby’s, London, 8 July 1947

Location: Treasury, Gallery 2