Kangxi famille verte moulded tea bowl and saucer

Kangxi famille verte moulded tea bowl and saucer. Excellent rare decoration to show panels of various aquatic creatures including bearded carp and crustaceans with aquatic weed. Painted in panels with aquatic fish and weed with a turbulent sea rather like the embroidery of robes and rank badges.

the centre of the saucer and bowl painted with bearded carp, which in Chinese folklore it was believed they would mutate into dragons when large enough.

The carp was also the sign of the scholar and only the scholar could hold a court position

A crab was also important as it would repel bad magic and conversely was seen as representing achievement

the prawn represented happiness and vivaciousness but was an expensive food source and was only served to important guests

Very unusual piece and although for export of high status

saucer is 12.9cm in diameter the tea bowl is 7.9 cm in diameter and 4.5cm tall