A PAIR OF DOUCAI 'DRAGON AND CARP' DISHES, YONGZHENG MARKS AND PERIOD

China, 1723-1735. Each with rounded sides rising from a tapered foot, the central medallion painted with a sinuous iron-red dragon amidst radiating colorful cloud wisps and stylized flame scrolls, all encircled by four carp leaping from turbulent foaming green waves, the decoration divided by double line borders repeated at the rim, the exterior similarly decorated with crashing green waves.

The bases each with an underglaze-blue six-character mark da Qing Yongzheng nianzhi within a double circle and of the period. (2)

Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and minimal firing irregularities. The first dish with a 0.4 cm shallow chip to the rim, a 2.2 cm glaze flake, and few tiny chips to foot. The second dish with two minute glaze frits (1.5 mm and 2 mm) to the rim, a minuscule loss to the red enamels above the dragon's head, and a glaze imperfection to the waves on the exterior.

Provenance:
- Frank Caro, C. T. Loo Chinese Art, New York, February 1966.
- Collection of Evelyn Annenberg Hall and William Jaffe, acquired from the above and thence by direct descent to their daughter.
- Christie's New York, 29 March 2006, lot 109.
- A private collection in the United Kingdom, acquired from the above.
- Sotheby's London, 9 November 2011, lot 424, sold for GBP 25,000 or approx. EUR 45,000 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing)
- The Hsin Hua Tang collection, Asia, acquired from the above.

Each dish with six labels to the base, including one from the Evelyn Annenberg Hall and William Jaffe collection, inscribed ‘FC [Frank Caro] 5801= RPX=’, four from the 2006 Christie’s sale, and one from the Hsin Hua Tang collection inscribed with the inventory numbers ‘QY5-1’ and ‘QY5-2’, respectively.

Frank Caro (1904-1980) was the associate of Ching Tsai Loo (1880-1957) an eminent Chinese art dealer and connoisseur who played a pivotal role in introducing Chinese art and antiquities to the Western world during the early 20th century. After establishing himself in Paris, Loo expanded his business to New York, where he opened a gallery on Fifth Avenue in 1927. He became a central figure in the international art market, dealing in Chinese antiquities, including sculptures, ceramics, and bronzes. In 1952, Frank Caro (1904-1980) took over daily operations of the New York business.

Evelyn Annenberg Hall (1911-2005) was a newspaper heiress, philanthropist and a connoisseur, collector and patron of the Arts. Together with her second husband William Jaffe (1907-1972), they assembled a wide-ranging and distinguished collection encompassing European paintings, sculpture, furniture, Renaissance drawings, and pre-Columbian works. Within this broader collecting activity, Chinese porcelain became William Jaffe’s principal field of specialization and connoisseurship. Jaffe began acquiring Chinese porcelain in the early 1940s and maintained meticulous records that document the postwar New York market in Chinese art. Though without formal academic training in Chinese, he pursued rigorous self-directed study, carefully copying inscriptions, compiling notes, and developing a personal reference system to refine attributions and deepen his understanding. The couple generously supported educational institutions, donating works to Dartmouth College and endowing art initiatives. Following Jaffe’s death in 1972, Evelyn Annenberg Hall preserved the Chinese porcelain collection until after her own passing, when it was sold by their daughter at Chrsitie’s.

Weight: 164.8 g and 194 g
Dimensions: Diameter 15.5 cm and 15.6 cm

Literature comparison:
A pair of doucai dishes of this design and approximate size, but bearing apocryphal Chenghua marks and dated to the Kangxi period, was included in the Hong Kong O.C.S. exhibition, Ch'ing Polychrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1977, no. 52.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s London, 14 May 2013, lot 224
Price: GBP 97,875 or approx. EUR 161,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare doucai 'dragon' dish, Yongzheng six-character mark in underglaze blue and of the period
Expert remark: Compare the closely related decoration, motif, and reign mark. Note the size (20 cm) and slightly different design.