Wanli Emperor - 盤子 - A Very Large Character Compass Plate (40CM) - Leaping Carp, Lotus, Swastika - 瓷器 - 稀有指南針板

A Huge Inscribed Ming Porcelain `Swatow` Ware Dish, Late Ming Dynasty, Wanli - Tianqi Period c. 1580-1620. From the Kilns in Pinghe or Hua`an Kilns in Heping County, Zhangzhou Prefecture, Fujian Province.

The Center of this Ming Polychrome Dish has a Compass Which has a Two Character Inscription in the Center 太極 Tienxi Yi (Unity Under Heaven), Arranged Around the Edge of the Compass is a Twenty Four Character Inscription Representing the Jikkan Junishi, Literally `Ten Heavenly Stems` and `Twelve Terrestrial Branches` of the Chinese Zodiac. The Border is of Leaping Carp and Lotus rising from its Roots. In the outer border 100's of Swastika's.

Literature:
For a very similar Ming Swatow ware dish see : Zhangzhou Export Porcelain, the So-Called Swatow Wares (Various authors, Jorge Welsh Books, 2006 ISBN 0-9550992-4-2) page 133, item 28.
For another Ming porcelain dish of this design see : Zhanzhou (Swatow) Ceramics, Sixteenth to Seventeenth Centuries Found in Indonesia (Sumarah Adhyatman, The Ceramic Society of Indonesia,1999) page 147, plate 193.
For further Ming dishes with this design see : Swatow (Barbara Harrison, Museum Het Princessehof, 1979) plates 104 and 109, for a dish with a different border see 206. Another Ming Swatow porcelain dish with a compass design from the Percival David collection is now in the British Museum, reference PDF 700.
A large fragment of a bowl with a similar central design was excavated from the Dongkou kiln site in Wuzhai, Pinhe County.

Diameter: 39,0 centimeter

Condition: The object is in good condition,some shallow flakes only, one larger. No hairlines or restorations. The condition is carefully checked with strong UV-light and bright translucent white light.

Shipping method: This lot will be securely packed and shipped with insurance, without stand.

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