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Lot Essay
The mark on the base may be read, Liucha wangshi sanfang jianzhi, and may be translated, 'Made under the supervision of the three branches of the Wang family in Liucha'. Liu is the ancient name of Jiading county in Jiangsu province (now part of the Shanghai metropolis), and Cha (or Zha) is probably 'Chaxi' (or 'Zhaxi'), a small town which was later called Nanxian, just south of Jiading. The quality of the bowl suggests that it may have been commissioned by a prominent family, possibly that of Wang Hongxu (1645-1723), whose family was from Huating county (also in Jiangsu), which is a little further south from Jiading. An important official in the Emperor Kangxi's court, he had two brothers who were also officials, and together they may have been the 'three branches'.