Early 20th Century Hand-Painted Chinese Export Famille Verte Green Dragon Porcelain Dinnerware Collection — 124 Pieces

Details

Description

Collected over many years and preserved for display, this extensive assemblage brings together 124 individually hand-painted pieces of Chinese export … Read more Collected over many years and preserved for display, this extensive assemblage brings together 124 individually hand-painted pieces of Chinese export porcelain in a richly varied green dragon pattern. From a private collector’s estate in Northern Virginia, the collection encompasses dinner plates, tea and demitasse cups, saucers, bowls, porcelain spoons, and a large paired-dragon platter—offering the depth and visual cohesion of a collection thoughtfully developed over time.

Its distinction lies in the hand-painted decoration carried across the many forms. Dragons unfurl through fields of curled clouds, their scales, whiskers, claws, and flowing manes articulated in fine detail. Red-orange pearls punctuate the white porcelain grounds, while leafy ornament, geometric key-fret bands, and crosshatched borders give structure to the animated compositions. Gilt rims and handle accents introduce a warm counterpoint to the cool enamels.

The palette moves from soft leaf green through deep emerald to blue-green teal. Subtle differences in the dragons’ expressions, the handling of the clouds, and the painted borders give individual pieces their own character. Together, these variations create the richness that makes an assembled collection so compelling: a shared decorative language with discoveries to be made from piece to piece.

A Tradition of Collecting

The dragon pursuing a flaming pearl is an enduring subject in Chinese decorative art, bringing together associations of power, wisdom, and prosperity. Surrounding clouds lend movement to the design, placing the mythical creatures within an auspicious celestial landscape.

The green-dominant decoration belongs to the famille verte tradition, which rose to prominence during the Kangxi period and became deeply admired by European and American collectors. This twentieth-century collection carries that decorative heritage forward, combining intricate enamel painting with the enduring appeal of green and white porcelain.

Its Northern Virginia provenance adds a personal chapter to that history. Acquired gradually and maintained exclusively for display, the collection reflects the sustained interest of an individual collector. The variations in color and composition are integral to its character.

For the Collector and the Interior

For a collector, the breadth of forms offers a rewarding study of the pattern: the dragon motif adapts to the expansive surface of a plate, the curved interior of a bowl, and the narrow handle of a porcelain spoon. The relationship between the pieces becomes as engaging as the details of any single example.

For a designer, the collection provides a substantial decorative resource with immediate coherence. Graduated stacks reveal alternating bands of green, white, and gold; upright plates bring the dragons into view; and cups, bowls, and spoons introduce changes of scale. The large platter anchors a cabinet or dresser arrangement, while the smaller pieces allow the palette to continue through a room.

The greens sit beautifully alongside dark wood, painted cabinetry, brass, natural linen, and blue-and-white porcelain. Displayed together, the collection offers considerable presence. Arranged in smaller groups, it creates continuity across shelves, sideboards, and intimate decorative settings.

Offered as one 124-piece assemblage, it allows the next owner to acquire an established collection with the breadth and individuality that ordinarily develop through years of searching.

Collection Contents — 124 Pieces:

Plates — 30 pieces
12 dinner plates
11 medium plates
7 small plates

Tea Cups and Saucers — 28 pieces
14 tea cups
14 saucers

Light-green, dark-green, and teal variations

Demitasse Cups and Saucers — 22 pieces
11 demitasse cups
11 saucers

Bowls, Condiment Dishes, and Spoons — 43 pieces
1 large soup bowl
11 small bowls, approximately 4 inches in diameter
10 additional small bowls in a slightly larger size
9 soy sauce or condiment dishes
12 porcelain spoons

Display Platter — 1 piece
1 large platter with paired-dragon decoration

Cups and saucers are counted individually in the total. Quantities and shades vary by form; this is a collector-assembled collection rather than a uniform service for a fixed number of settings.


Origin, Materials, and Marks:

China, twentieth century. Porcelain with hand-painted enamel decoration and gilt accents. Red “Made in China” export marks appear on the photographed bases. Maker unidentified.

Selected Dimensions

Approximate measurements recorded in the acquisition catalog:
Dinner plates: 10⅛ inches in diameter × 1¼ inches high
Tea saucers: 5¾ inches in diameter × ¾ inch high
Demitasse saucers: 4¼ inches in diameter × ⅝ inch high
Large soup bowl: 7 inches in diameter × 3 inches high
Smaller bowls: approximately 4 inches in diameter See less