A RARE PAIR OF BLUE AND WHITE IRON-RED ENAMELLED 'DRAGON' DISHES
Qianlong seal marks and of the period
Each thinly potted with shallow rounded sides rising from an inward-tapered foot, decorated in the well with a central medallion enclosing an iron-red five-clawed dragon writhing in mid-air above a ground of swirling waves, the exterior similarly decorated with nine iron-red dragons variously dancing above waves, below a border of interlinked 'coin' motifs. Each, 17.5cm (6 7/8in) diam. (2).
Footnotes:
清乾隆 青花礬紅海水龍紋盤一對
青花「大清乾隆年製」篆書款

Provenance: Helge von Knorring (1897-1985), Finnish Charge d'Affaires 1929-1932 to Shanghai and Envoy to Beijing 1952-1953, and thence by descent.

來源： Helge von Knorring (1897-1985)，1929年至1932年擔任芬蘭駐上海臨時代辦，並於1952年至1953年擔任赴北京特使，並由後代收藏迄今

Helge von Knorring was a Finnish diplomat with a distinguished career within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. von Knorring was appointed in the late 1920s as an attaché to Japan. He was then seconded to Shanghai in the position of Charge d'Affaires 1929-1932, followed by a return to Tokyo as an attaché. Further to various diplomatic posts, he was appointed as Envoy to Beijing 1952-1953, and Ambassador to Bern 1953-1956.

Compare with a very similar pair of blue and white and iron-red 'dragon' dishes, Qianlong seal marks and of the period, which were sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 3 October 2017, lot 3734. See also one blue ad white iron-red decorated 'dragon' dish, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 11 June 2021, lot 3245.
This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: *
* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.

One dish with a small nick to the rim which highlights, approx 0.3cm long; very tiny imperfections.