A Chinese export grisaille decorated teabowl and saucer, Qianlong

A Chinese export tea bowl and saucer, finely potted and translucent, decorated with fine black enamel (en grisaille) and dating from the Qianlong period.  Both the tea bowl and saucer have been decorated with well-drawn floral bouquets and flower sprays, with a shaped diaper band around the rim of the saucer and inside the rim of the cup.  The fine detail can be appreciated in our photos.  Saucer diameter  12cm (  4.7” ), tea bowl diameter 8cm ( 3.1” ).

Date: Qianlong c 1750-60

Condition: both the tea bowl and saucer are in excellent, undamaged, condition with no chips, cracks of restoration.  There is one small burst glaze bubble at the rim of the tea bowl, and another to the rim of the saucer.  The black line enamel decoration is also in good condition, as can be seen in our photographs, with only very minor wear to the decoration on the saucer.  The glaze on the base has fired a slightly deeper colour.