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Subject:Re: Blue/white Willow pattern dish, rice border
Posted By: Bill H Fri, Aug 19, 2011
This is among several variant patterns of Chinese blue & white rice grain porcelain produced during the late 19th and early 20th century. Some versions have embellishments in gilt and iron red around the 'grains'. Many of these dishes were given period marks, most usually Guangxu, and apocryphal Kangxi marks abound.
Your pattern is a version of the Nanking (Nanjing) motif. Cranes and herons in a lotus marsh was a favorite too. Below is another variation on the Nanking theme, with pendant jewels instead of auspicious objects in reserves around the cavetto.
There's much lore in circulation concerning rice pattern china, especially the tale concerning how rice kernels actually were pressed into the clay and fired in the kiln to achieve the translucent 'grains' that give the pattern its name. This couldn't be true, because the organic material would carbonize, leaving a big blackened hole where it exploded. Actually, a special tool was used to pierce the damp clay, which when dried would be given multiple coats of clear slip, which vitrified into translucent windows over the pierced spots. China borrowed the technique from the Middle East in the 18th century, I believe.
Best regards,
Bill H.
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( China & Japan ) - Tom - Aug 18, 2011 (02:07 PM) 
