Antique 19th Century Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Qilin Dishes - A Pair

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Antique 19th Century Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Qilin Dishes - A Pair

A captivating matched pair of antique Chinese … Read more Antique 19th Century Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Qilin Dishes - A Pair

A captivating matched pair of antique Chinese Qing Dynasty blue and white porcelain footed dish plates, dating to the nineteenth century and showcasing extraordinary mythical iconography. Measuring six and three-quarters inches in diameter and raised one and one-half inches on shallow foot rings, each porcelain saucer features a delicately molded, gently lobed foliate rim. The central interior roundels are hand-painted in vibrant underglaze cobalt blue, depicting the auspicious mythical Qilin beast prancing mid-stride across a rolling landscape beneath the broad boughs of a gnarled pine tree and swirling auspicious ruyi cloud scrolls. With head turned skyward and tail proudly elevated, the chimeric creature is rendered with intricate scaled hide, flowing tufts, and cloven hooves, balanced by leafy bamboo sprays emerging at the perimeter. The exterior undersides are loosely painted with stylized ribboned treasures, resting on broad unglazed foot rims that bear authentic kiln grit and historic collection labels. This scarce matched pair brings profound cultural symbolism, timeless blue-and-white elegance, and authentic scholar-table antiquity to any curated art or porcelain collection.

About the Maker
Produced during the Qing Dynasty in China, these dishes were hand-thrown and painted by master porcelain artisans in the historic regional kiln centers of southern China, centered around Jingdezhen and affiliated provincial workshops. Renowned as the porcelain capital of the world, Jingdezhen supported both imperial kilns and sophisticated folk kilns that catered to scholarly elites, noble domestic estates, and discerning export markets. Nineteenth-century artisan workshops used generational techniques, applying native mineral cobalt directly to raw clay bodies before encasing them in iron-tinted feldspathic glazes and firing them in high-temperature, wood-burning dragon kilns. While individual potters remained anonymous in deference to workshop guild traditions, the confident brushwork and sculptural lobing reflect high-caliber artisanal expertise.

Historical Significance
The Qilin holds an exalted position in traditional Chinese mythology, ranked alongside the dragon, phoenix, and tortoise as one of the four sacred animals of celestial fortune. Revered as an omen of prosperity, peace, longevity, and benevolent governance, the creature was believed to appear only during the reign of wise rulers or on the threshold of an illustrious birth. When depicted alongside the evergreen pine tree—a foundational symbol of endurance and steadfast fortitude through adversity—the visual motif creates an auspicious rebus wishing the recipient great prominence, virtuous longevity, and continuous household harmony. Blue-and-white porcelain featuring this classical scholar-taste subject matter was widely collected throughout the nineteenth century and remains one of the most sought-after genres in Asian decorative arts.

Ceramic Artistry and Kiln Firing
Every aspect of these porcelain dishes reveals the authentic character of nineteenth-century artisanal kiln craft. The bodies were hand-shaped on the potter's wheel and delicately carved to create the soft, undulating foliate petals of the lobed mouth rims. The underglaze blue decoration exhibits dynamic tonal variation, ranging from deep midnight indigo in the pine foliage to soft watery washes that define the undulating terrain. The glaze shows a soft, celadon-tinted bluish-white hue with a gentle, natural orange-peel texture and occasional kiln-pinprick iron inclusions typical of historical wood-fired reductions. Underneath, the wide foot rings preserve unglazed firing biscuit showing fine wheel chatter and characteristic reddish-brown iron halos from direct contact with kiln sagger sand.

Specifications and Dimensions
Style: Chinese, Chinoiserie, Traditional Asian
Period: 19th Century (Qing Dynasty, Circa 1800 to 1875)
Origin: China
Materials: Hard-Paste Porcelain, Cobalt Pigment, Clear Feldspathic Glaze
Object Type: Decorative Plates, Dishes, Shallow Footed Saucers
Quantity: Matched Pair (Two Plates)
Diameter: 6.75 Inches
Height: 1.5 Inches
Rim Design: Molded Foliate Lobed Rim
Central Motif: Mythical Qilin Beast in Pine Landscape
Markings: Antique Hand-Penned Dealer Collection Labels Underfoot

Condition Report
This pair of Chinese porcelain dishes is in good antique estate condition, exhibiting remarkable preservation of color and glaze luster commensurate with nineteenth-century age and utilitarian domestic life. The underglaze cobalt hand painting remains clear, crisp, and vibrant beneath a glossy, transparent glaze. The glaze surfaces show light, honest contact wear, faint utensil marks, and minor natural kiln imperfections, including small firing pinholes and tiny iron spots. The unglazed foot rims show authentic firing grit and separation chipping consistent with removal from kiln saggers, with one dish exhibiting slightly more foot fritting than its companion. One plate exhibits a minute, shallow flea-bite nick along the outer lobed mouth rim that is smooth and stable: no major hairline cracks, significant structural breaks, or post-production repairs.

Designer's Note
Antique Chinese blue and white porcelain is one of the most versatile and timeless design elements in luxury residential decorating. Designers especially covet matched pairs of nineteenth-century dishes because they introduce instant architectural balance and narrative interest to vignettes. Display them upright on custom-carved rosewood easels atop a lacquer sofa console, layer them into a traditional Georgian breakfront cabinet alongside fine creamware, or mount them symmetrically as wall art in an intimate dining room or entryway. The rich cobalt and celadon-white palette harmonizes effortlessly with traditional mahogany furniture, grandmillennial floral wallpapers, and clean contemporary interiors.

Blending ancient mythological symbolism with the refined artistry of nineteenth-century Chinese kiln craft, this matched pair of blue-and-white Qilin porcelain dishes is a rare and distinguished estate discovery. Whether acquired by a devoted collector of Qing Dynasty ceramics or integrated as statement accent pieces in a thoughtfully designed home, these authentic porcelain treasures offer enduring beauty, cultural pedigree, and historic grace. See less