PROVENANCE: Private (Estate) collections of Jack J. Woo, by inheritance. Dimensions: 8.125"L x 3.5"H Chinese Ming Dynasty Period, reversed red dragon motif porcelain bowl. The porcelain potted with a shallow body, slight deep, broad cavetto, with a slightly flaring opening lip, raised on a small round, with slight concave footing. All reserved hand painted ornamentations are rendered in iron red under glazed base color which contrast against the pale white design color. Red is the most important variety of China’s porcelain. It was originated in the Qing Dynasty. Its color does not easily fade and durability is longer. It used cobaltous oxide as the colorant. Patterns were directly painted onto the inner body and burnt after glaze was applied on it. The red color of the packet symbolizes good luck, corresponding with fire, symbolizes good fortune and joy. Red is found everywhere during Chinese New Year and other holiday celebrations and family gatherings. The Exterior decorated with snarling huge imperial five claws dragon careening through cumulus clouds above thrashing Li-shui waves and Geometric petals in a pale white color dragon squama to chasing flaming pearl amidst flames. Dragon is the symbol of the Emperor, the Son of Heaven, eternity, Yang and Yin, male vigor and fecundity, the Li-shui wave pattern which is known to be the abode of dragons. The underside unglazed, revealed the pale-creme ground and dark grayish brown spotted firing marks and edge-cut foot rim. The clay is very fine, with a brilliant glaze finish that was applied by a meticulous, the shape is uniformly proportioned.