SHUNZHI FOUR-CHARACTER MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF THE PERIOD (1644-1661)

Shunzhi-marked porcelains are extremely rare. The present 'mythical beasts' bowl belongs to a small group of blue and white wares bearing Shunzhi four-character marks that are decorated with five mythical beasts. A pair of dishes of this type in the Tianminlou Collection is illustrated in Blue and White Porcelain from the Tianminlou Collection, Chang Foundation, Taipei, 1990, pp. 70-72. A similar pair of dishes was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 28 October 2002, lot 696. Another dish of this type, formerly with Messrs. Bluett, is illustrated by Soame Jenyns, Later Chinese Porcelain, pl. IX, 2.