A Chinese unglazed bisque-fired brinjal bowl with... Lot 21

A Chinese unglazed bisque-fired brinjal bowl with engraved floral decoration of lotus, magnolia and plum blossoms, and a lingzhi mushroom inside in the center, then muffle-fired in white, yellow, green and eggplant, on a yellow main field, white base, underglaze blue mark within a double circle "Da Qing Tianqi nianzhi". (1621~1627) H. 8.5& D. 18 cm condition: mini chip at the lip and 2 cm crack from the lip Note: The "Brinjal family" decorations date back to the late Ming period, we are dealing here with a rare model from the Tianqi reign (1621~1627). Production continued for several decades in the Kangxi period, with Wucai glazes in the Wanli reign, and then developing black family and yellow family designs. For examples of all the background colours, see the Gothenburg Museum, which has a collection. The lingzhi mushroom is a symbol of wish fulfilment and longevity. The white magnolia is pronounced Yulan (jade orchid) and is an emblem of purity, as are the lotus flower and the plum blossom, the first to bloom in the snow.