Lot 386 A CHINESE FAMILLE VERTE ‘PROVINCES’ ARMORIAL SHAVING BOWL, WITH THE ARMS OF GELDERLAND, CIRCA 1720

A fine Chinese export porcelain shaving bowl, painted in underglaze blue and famille verte enamels, with the arms of Gelderland prominently displayed in the centre. The shield is divided into two fields, each charged with a rampant lion, surmounted by a ducal crown and inscribed below with the banner ‘GELDERLANT’. The arms are surrounded by flowering peony branches and butterflies, while the broad rim is richly decorated with an underglaze-blue diaper-pattern ground, interrupted by five shaped cartouches enclosing various animals and birds, together with smaller floral reserves. The exterior is sparsely decorated with flowering branches in blue and iron-red, with gilt highlights to the rim. The form belongs to the celebrated Chinese export ‘Provinces’ wares produced in the early 18th century, comprising dishes, plates and barber's or shaving bowls bearing the arms of Dutch and Flemish provinces and cities. Surviving examples with the arms of Gelderland and the inscription ‘Gelderlant’ are documented in major collections and auction catalogues. While the series is represented by a considerable number of dishes and plates, shaving bowls are considerably less frequently encountered, making this form a particularly interesting variant within the ‘Provinces’ group. Diam . 28 cm.

comparable: Christie’s lot 41 sold for USD 23,500 on 22 Jan 2002