A London decorated soft paste Chinese export bowl, Qianlong

Code: 271210

A London decorated soft paste Chinese export bowl, the bowl moulded with peony flowers,  foliage, butterflies and bamboo in a garden landscape.  The good quality overglaze decoration was added in London with flower sprays, a large bee and other insects, probablyin the workshop of James Giles. The interior of the bowl is decorated with a further large rose and flower spray and a grasshopper, with a small flower spray further up the rim. Diameter 14.5 cm (5.7")

A Chinese soft paste porcelain vase with very similar floral decoration from the collection of Geoffrey Godden as shown in the Stockspring Antiques exhibition of Early James Giles as part of number 60.  London decoration on bowls is relatively uncommon.

This style of decoration is classified as 'Type A' Giles decoration.

It is a feature of these London-decorated Chinese porcelains that the decorators were often respectful of the Chinese decoration and added the decoration around the Chinese decoration rather than obliterating it.  

Date: Qianlong circa 1755 to 1765

Condition: there is a stained crack down one side of the bowl and some surface fritting to the raised moulded decoration which shows as black spots.  There is wear to the decoration on the inside of the bowl.

For hard paste bowls we would normally try to lift out any staining in a crack, however we are wary of trying to do this with a soft paste item and would rather leave this decision to the purchaser, perhaps in consultaton with a conservation expert.