Gorer Plate of a Famille Noire Beaker of Extraordinary Size, 1911

This is Plate 16 from Chinese Porcelain and Hard Stones, an original 1911 color plate of Chinese porcelain showing a famille noire beaker of extraordinary size, the black covered with thin brilliant green enamel. Three large plum trees, the so called hawthorn, rise from white and green rocks bearing white flowers with yellow centers, with sacred bamboo for foliage and yellow finches among the branches on body and neck. Gorer and Blacker describe it as Ming period and record it in the collection formed by Richard Bennett; height 27 1/4 inches (69 cm), diameter 10 5/8 inches (27 cm).

This is one of the two hundred and fifty four color plates in Chinese Porcelain and Hard Stones, published in London by Bernard Quaritch in 1911 for Edgar Gorer and J. F. Blacker. The piece was photographed and the plate printed in color, so the glaze, the palette and the modeling of the original are carried over directly rather than interpreted by a draftsman. Each plate faced a page of description in English and French. The plates are color collotypes, and the book records that it was produced and printed by the Menpes Printing and Engraving Company of London and Watford.

Edgar Gorer (1872 to 1915) was a London dealer in Chinese art. He traded as S. Gorer and Son from 170 New Bond Street, opened a shop at 500 Fifth Avenue in New York, and sold to Sir William Lever, later Lord Leverhulme. He was lost on 7 May 1915 when the Lusitania was torpedoed.

Even age toning. Scattered light foxing in the margin. All four corners complete. One larger brown mark.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.