A Bow blanc de chine Sugar Bowl, circa 1750
With its shaped rim and applied prunus sprigging, this type of decoration derives from white Chinese porcelain wares traditionally made at Dehua, in Fujian province. In Chinese symbolism, plum blossom (prunus mume) signifies winter, and its five petals represent an auspicious number. White porcelain decorated with applied prunus sprigs had been produced in the Dehua kilns of Fukien province, China, appearing in Europe in around 1700. It was soon copied by Meissen and the early French factories of Saint-Cloud and Chantilly, its popularity continuing into the middle of the century, as Bow and Chelsea versions of the design testify.
Unmarked.
Condition: No damage or restoration, just minor firing imperfections typical of this early period.
Dimensions: Diameter 12.5 cm
Bow Porcelain: The Collection formed by Geoffrey Freeman, A. Gabszewicz & G. Freeman (Lund Humphries, 1982).