Lot Essay
Compare the related basin of slightly smaller size from the J.A. Lloyd Hyde Collection included, with a ewer, in the exhibition Chinese Painted Enamels, The China Institute in America, 1969/70, Catalogue, no. 8. It is suggested that the shapes of both were copied from Portuguese 17th century silver originals. Basins, together with ewers, of this shape are more frequently found in porcelain: Chinese Imari examples of these are illustated by C. J. A. Jorg, op.cit., front cover and no.99; and by D. Howard & J. Ayers, op.cit., vol.I, p.144, no.125. A famille rose porcelain ewer and basin from the Salting Collection is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, illustrated by W. B. Honey, Guide to the later Chinese Porcelain Periods of K'ang Hsi, Yung Cheng and Chi'en Lung, pl.115b and p.70