CIRCA 1775

This dish was inspired by Dutch delftware. A single dish, similar to the present lot, formerly in the Mottahedeh collection, is illustrated by Howard and Ayers, China for the West, London and New York, 1978, vol. I, no. 42, together with a Dutch delftware example. A pair of similar dishes is in the Hodroff Collection, illustrated by D. S. Howard, The Choice of the Private Trader, London, 1994, no. 136, p. 131. See also Dr. C.J.A. Jörg, Porcelain and the Dutch China Trade, The Hague, 1982, p. 179 where Dr. Jörg notes that, according to the Dutch East India Company 'Requirements' of 1773, there is mention of both narrow (14 cm. wide) 'herring' dishes (for one fish) and wider (17 cm.) dishes for two fish, and painted accordingly with one or two fish. Dr. Jörg illustrates an example with two fish from the Gemeente Museum, The Hague, ibid.,, fig. 89, p. 179 and mentions on p. 362 that the Gemeente Museum, Arnhem has a dish with one fish, which was exhibited De Chinese porceleinkast, 1968, catalogue no. 238; he suggests that both these examples probably formed part of the Dutch East India Company shipment of 1773 or 1776. A pair of dishes with two fish was sold in our Amsterdam rooms, 23 and 24 May 2006, lot 233.