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Chinese Blue and White and Iron-Red Scalloped Saucer, Kangxi Period (1662-1722)

Chinese Kangxi period porcelain saucer with scalloped edges, blue and iron-red decoration of figures and boys.

Estimated value

$250 - $450

Rarity

Uncommon(5/10)

Era

late 17th to early 18th century (c. 1690-1710)

Origin

🇨🇳 China

Authenticity

High(70%)
23

CHINESE BLUE AND WHITE AND IRON-RED SCALLOPED SAUCER, KANGXI PERIOD (1662-1722): IDENTIFICATION

A small Chinese porcelain saucer featuring a central medallion of a 'Long Eliza' (meiren) figure, surrounded by radiating panels alternating between floral sprays and dancing boy figures. The decoration utilizes a combination of underglaze blue and overglaze iron-red enamel, a palette often referred to as 'Chinese Imari'. The rim is molded into a bracketed or scalloped shape and finished with a brown-dressed 'biscuit' edge to protect the glaze from chipping.

Compare with other ceramic pieces in the archive: Alabaster Urn-Shaped Vase, Han Dynasty Style Glazed Ceramic Boar Figurine, Chinese Blue and White 'Three Friends of Winter' Stem Cup, Ming Style.

CROSS-CULTURAL PARALLELS

Where This Object Echoes

Dutch Republic1700-1750

The 'Lange Lijzen' motif became a staple of Delftware pottery as Dutch makers attempted to copy these expensive Chinese imports.

Ritual & Ceremonial Use

  • •The European tea-drinking ceremony, where such small saucers were used to cool tea poured from small Yixing or porcelain teapots before the invention of the handle.

Meaning Through Time

Qing Dynasty

The dancing boy (puer) symbolized the wish for many male heirs, a central tenet of Confucian family values.

PRODUCTION & FIRING

This style of porcelain reflects the transition from the Ming to the Qing Dynasty, specifically the resurgence of the Jingdezhen kilns during the reign of Emperor Kangxi. The 'Long Eliza' and 'Boy' motifs were standardized for the Dutch export market (VOC) between 1680 and 1715, inspired by ...
This style of porcelain reflects the transition from the Ming to the Qing Dynasty, specifically the resurgence of the Jingdezhen kilns during the reign of Emperor Kangxi. The 'Long Eliza' and 'Boy' motifs were standardized for the Dutch export market (VOC) between 1680 and 1715, inspired by Japanese Imari wares that had briefly dominated trade during China's civil unrest in the mid-17th century. The scalloped molding was a technically difficult technique produced by pressing thin porcelain into shaped molds before firing at approximately 1300 degrees Celsius.

SCARCITY

Uncommon70-80%
CommonLegendary

Genuine antiques with fewer examples on the market. Named makers, documented provenance, or early production examples.

Rarity 5/10. Curiosa currently catalogues 21 ceramics items at rarity 5 or higher.

Typical Characteristics

  • Limited production
  • Named makers
  • Growing collector demand

Confidence Factors

  • Correct shade of underglaze cobalt blue for the late 17th century
  • Presence of age-appropriate 'muslin' texture in the glaze
  • Rim dressing and molding technique align with documented export wares
How does authenticity detection work?

CERAMICIST'S ASSESSMENT

Asian Art Specialist

East Asian Art Expert

The palette, iconography, and molding are highly consistent with late 17th-century Kangxi export porcelain, though a view of the base is required for 95% certainty.

KEY EVIDENCE

  • 1Bracketed/scalloped rim molding typical of 1690-1720 production
  • 2Cobalt blue saturation shows 'heaping and piling' effects typical of the Kangxi period
  • 3Iron-red enamel exhibits the characteristic matte orange-red hue of the period
  • 4V-shaped footrim (presumed) would further confirm this dating

UNCERTAINTIES

  • •Later 19th-century Samson or Japanese reproductions can mimic this palette, requiring a physical check of the paste transparency.

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

  • →Provide a high-resolution photo of the base to examine the footrim and any possible marks
  • →Hold the piece up to a light source to check for the characteristic green-white translucency of Kangxi paste

CONDITION & GRADE

Good (Professional Grade)

Grading breakdown

The primary value is preserved in the lack of major cracks or hairlines, though the rim fritting is expected for this specific molded form.

Condition

Small chips or 'fritting' are visible along the scalloped rim; the iron-red enamel shows minor surface abrasion consistent with 300 years of stacking wear.

CERAMICS MARKET VALUE

$250 - $450

Updated: May 10, 2026

Who buys this

Specialist collectors of Chinese export porcelain and connoisseurs of 'Blue and White' wares from the Kangxi period.

What increases value

  • •Vibrancy of the iron-red enamel
  • •Complexity of the radiating panel decoration
  • •Integrity of the scalloped rim molding

What lowers value

  • •Hairline cracks hidden in the molded flutes
  • •Excessive wear to the central figure's face

What makes top-tier examples

  • •Gilding still intact (this example appears to have lost most gilding)
  • •Unbroken provenance to a known shipwreck or major collection

Grade & condition

Chips on the rim and surface scratches to the enamels are the primary condition detractors.

Rarity & demand

UncommonModerate demandModerate liquidity
Browse similar ceramics objects

For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.

FROM THE CABINET OF

R2

r2d2
Wonderseeker•4 items

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