Located in Downingtown, PA
Chinese Export Porcelain Dutch Armorial Plates, Arms of Van Gellicum,
Chinese Imari Rouge de Fer,
Late Kangxi Period,
Circa 1720–1730
This exceptional pair of Chinese Export porcelain armorial plates was commissioned for the Dutch Van Gellicum family in the late Kangxi period, circa 1720–1730. The plates are masterfully decorated in the striking rouge de fer palette of the Chinese Imari taste, featuring a central coat of arms encircled by a delicate floral scroll border. The outer rim is richly adorned with rocks, flowers, leaves, and distinctive zig-zag lines. These zig-zag motifs represent a thunderbolt, a design element frequently seen on Delft faience of the first quarter of the 18th century, itself heavily influenced by Japanese patterns. Between the center and rim lies an elegant band of scrollwork and intricate flower sprays.
The prominent coat of arms features a chevron between three eagles and a bezant, with an unidentified charge in chief. The crest displays a heron-like bird clutching an eel or snake in its beak, positioned gracefully between two wings. According to Jochem Kroes in Chinese Armorial Porcelain for the Dutch Market, Chinese porcelain bearing this Dutch family...
Category
Antique Early 18th Century Chinese Chinese Export Porcelain