A LARGE POWDER BLUE FAMILLE-VERTE ‘QILIN AND PHOENIX’ CHARGER, KANGXI PERIOD
China, 1622-1722. The central bracket-lobed cartouche decorated in iron-red as well as green, yellow, and blue enamels with a ferocious qilin below a flying phoenix in a fenced garden with plantain leaves and wutong trees, the rim with shaped panels enclosing similarly painted alternating floral sprays and antique treasures, all against a deep powder-blue ground. The base with a lozenge mark within a double circle in underglaze blue.


Provenance:
Bernheimer Collection, Munich, Germany. Tove and Karl Emil Strømstad, Norway, acquired from the above. The base with two collector’s labels, ‘Strømstad 215’ and ‘Bernheimer Collection L/238B.’ The rim with a collector’s label, ‘227.’ The Bernheimer business was started by Lehmann Bernheimer (1841-1918) in 1864 with a tiny market stall in Munich, Germany, and swiftly grew into the most illustrious antique and interior decoration emporium in the world. Lehmann’s son Otto (1877-1960) took over after his father’s death in 1918. With his two brothers, Max and Ernst, Otto traveled to many European countries in search of fine art. Bernheimer's customers were European aristocrats, financiers, diplomats, and artists. They included the Krupp family and William Randolph Hearst. During the Nazi regime, the Bernheimer family emigrated across the whole world. In 1945, Otto Bernheimer returned to Munich, rebuilt his company and fought for the restitution of the family property. Konrad Bernheimer took over in 1977, aged 26, and has moved the business to Old Master Paintings. The Bernheimer Collection counts among the finest art collections in the world, reflecting the erudite quest of four generations to discover the very best of ancient art.

Condition:
Very good condition with some firing flaws including kiln grit, burst bubbles, and fritting to the rim. The interior of the foot with minor chips. Weight: 1,900 g
Dimensions: Height 40.5 cm


Expert’s note:
These type of dishes with a powder blue ground and white reserves in a famille verte palette were in vogue from about 1715 and 1725 and were considered as expensive pieces for display.


Literature comparison:

Compare a closely related famille verte-decorated powder-blue-ground charger, dated 1700-1710, 41 cm diameter, from the Salting Bequest, in the Victoria & Albert Museum, accession number C.1340-1910. Compare a related charger in Christiaan J. A. Jörg, Chinese Ceramics in the Collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Ming and Qing dynasties, London 1997, p. 146. Compare a related charger in Robert Schmidt, Chinesische Keramik von der Han-Zeit bis zum 19. Jahrhundert, Frankfurt 1924, pl. 120 b. Compare two related chargers illustrated by Regina Krahl & John Ayers, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, A complete catalogue, part III: Qing Dynasty Porcelains, London 1986, pl. 3247 and 3249.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s Amsterdam, 8 May 2001, lot 316
Price: NLG 21,150 or approx.
EUR 15,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A famille verte powder blue dish, Kangxi
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, decoration, motif, and size (40.9 cm).




康熙粉藍釉地硬彩開光麒麟鳳凰盤

中國，1622-1722年。折沿，淺弧腹，圈足。盤施粉青釉，盤中菱花口開光，白地硬彩綠色、黃色和藍色描繪一隻威風凜凜的麒麟，身邊火焰環繞；其上有一隻飛翔的鳳凰。折沿上八個開光，内飾花卉與博古紋。圈足内青花花押款。


來源：
德國慕尼黑Bernheimer 收藏；挪威Tove 與 Karl Emil Strømstad收藏，購於上述收藏。底座有兩個收藏標籤 ‘Strømstad 215’ 與 ‘Bernheimer Collection L/238B.’ 邊緣收藏標籤可見“227”字樣。 Bernheimer 商業機構由 Lehmann Bernheimer (1841-1918) 於 1864 年在德國慕尼黑的一個小市場上創建，並迅速成長為世界上最傑出的古董和室內裝潢巨頭。Lehmann的兒子Otto（1877-1960）在他父親 1918 年去世後接任。Otto與他的兩個兄弟Max和Ernst一起去過許多歐洲國家尋找藝術品。Bernheimer的客戶多爲歐洲貴族、金融家、外交官和藝術家。他們包括克虜伯家族和威廉∙赫斯特。在納粹政權期間，Bernheimer家族移居世界各地。1945 年，Otto Bernheimer 回到慕尼黑，重建公司並為收回家族財產而戰。Konrad Bernheimer於 1977 年接手，當時年僅 26 歲，並將業務轉移到古典大師繪畫。 Bernheimer 收藏堪稱世界上最優秀的藝術收藏之一，反映了四代人對古代藝術的追求探索

品相：
狀況非常好，但存在一些燒製缺陷，包括窯砂、氣泡破裂和邊緣熔結，足部內部有小缺口。

重量：1,900 克
尺寸：高40.5 厘米


文獻比較：

比較一件非常相近的1700-1710年硬彩藍地盤，直徑41 厘米，來自Salting Bequest，收藏於維多利亞和亞伯特博物館，館藏編號C.1340-1910。比較一件相近的盤，見Christiaan J. A. Jörg，《Chinese Ceramics in the Collection of the Rijksmuseum，Amsterdam，The Ming and Qing dynasties》，倫敦，1997年，頁146。比較一件相近的盤，見 Robert Schmidt，《Chinesische Keramik von der Han-Zeit bis zum 19. Jahrhundert》，法蘭克福，1924年，圖120 b。比較兩件相近的盤，見Regina Krahl & John Ayers，《Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum，Istanbul，A complete catalogue，part III: Qing Dynasty Porcelains》，倫敦 ，1986年，圖3247和3249。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：阿姆斯特丹佳士得 ，2001年5月8日，lot 316
價格：NLG 21,150（相當於今日
EUR 15,500
）
描述：康熙藍地盤
專家評論：比較非常相近的外形、裝飾、主題和尺寸(40.9 厘米)。