NEW AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM THE SIR PERCIVAL DAVID COLLECTION IN THE SIR JOSEPH HOTUNG CENTRE FOR CERAMIC STUDIES JAN STUART Unless otherwise stated, all photographs courtesy of the British Museum, London It is gratifying to see the names of Sir Percival David (1892–1964) and Sir Joseph Hotung joined together at the British Museum. They are kindred spirits united by shared delight in the study of Chinese ceramics and adamant belief that great collections should be widely available to the public. 1 Façade of the British Museum. Photograph copyright: The Trustees of the British Museum 2 Chinese overglaze-enamel decorated ceramics in the British Museum. In chronological order: Cizhou-type bowl with iron-red fi sh, north China, 13th century, height 5.5 cm, diameter 13.8 cm, BM 1973.0726.255, Seligman Bequest; Jingdezhen dish with beast in the centre and enamelled exterior, metal rim, Chenghua mark and period (1465–1487), height 3 cm, diameter 18 cm, BM 1968.0422.40, Mrs Walter Sedgwick Bequest; Jingdezhen jar with dragon amidst melons and foliage, Chenghua mark and period, height 12 cm, diameter 11 cm, BM 1968.0422.41, Mrs Walter Sedgwick Bequest; Jingdezhen dish with two dragons chasing a fl aming pearl, Longqing mark and period (1567–1572), diameter 32.5 cm, BM 1945.1016.11, bequeathed by Francis Edward Howard Paget; Jingdezhen enamelled dish with plant and butterfl y decoration, early 18th century, height 6 cm, diameter 34.3 cm, Franks.511+; Jingdezhen fencai bowl and stand, Yongzheng mark and period (1723–1735), BM 1953.1017.7a and b, given by the Hon. Mrs Basil Ionides. Photograph copyright: The Trustees of the British Museum 3 Jingdezhen porcelain teapot decorated with falangcai overglaze enamels depicting a fl owering plum tree, Qing dynasty, Qianlong mark and period, height 11.8 cm, PDF A809. Photograph copyright: The Trustees of the British Museum 4 Detail, anonymous court artists, Pictures of Ancient Playthings—Scroll of Antiquities (Guwan tu), number 6, Qing dynasty, Yongzheng, 1728, handscroll, ink and colours on paper, 62.5 x 1502 cm, PDF X01. Photograph copyright: SOAS. All rights reserved 5 Jingdezhen porcelain bowls covered outside with opaque lime-green enamel over a clear felspathic glaze which shows white on the inside, base covered with a clear glaze, Qing dynasty, Yongzheng mark and period (1723–1735), height 4.6 cm, diameter 10 cm, PDF B524 and B525. Given by The Honourable Mountstuart Elphinstone. Photograph copyright: SOAS. All rights reserved 7 Xing ware bowl, porcelain with transparent glaze, Tang dynasty, 10th century, height 12.3 cm, diameter 26.5 cm, PDF 182. Photograph copyright: The Trustees of the British Museum 6 Yue ware basin with fi sh design, stoneware with celadon glaze, Western Jin dynasty, 3rd to 4th century, height 8.5 cm, diameter 33.6 cm, PDF 250. Photograph copyright: The Trustees of the British Museum 8 Longquan ware box with incised fl oral design, stoneware with celadon glaze, probably Five Dynasties, 10th century; height 3.5 cm, diameter 8.2 cm, PDF 282. Photograph copyright: The Trustees of the British Museum 9 Jingdezhen fl asks, underglaze cobalt oxide on porcelain with clear glaze, both unmarked and Yongle period (1403–1424); heights 47.8 cm and 44.6 cm, PDF B667 and 662. Photograph copyright: The Trustees of the British Museum 10 Twelve Jingdezhen month cups, underglaze cobalt oxide, overglaze enamels on porcelain with a clear glaze, Kangxi mark and period (1662–1722), height 5 cm, diameter 6.5 cm, PDF 815a-l. Photograph copyright: SOAS. All rights reserved 11 Jingdezhen bottle vase in imitation of Guan ware (left), glazed porcelain, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period (1736–1795) or later, with an inscription dated to the Qianlong period (below), height 20.4 cm, diameter 12.1 cm, PDF A42. Photograph copyright: SOAS. All rights reserved 12 Jade bi disc, Shang dynasty (circa 1300–1001 BC) with inscription by the Qianlong emperor (1736–1795), height 1 cm, diameter 15 cm, BM 1937.0416.140. Photograph copyright: The Trustees of the British Museum 13 Floor plan of the Percival David Collection gallery. Image copyright: Studio A, www.studioassociates.com 14 Yue ware model of a chicken coop, stoneware with 15 Jingdezhen chicken cup, underglaze blue and overglaze enamels celadon glaze, Western Jin (265–317), height 7 cm, on porcelain with clear glaze, Ming dynasty, Chenghua mark diameter 10.4 cm, PDF 295. Photograph copyright: and period, height 3.8 cm, diameter 8.3 cm, PDF 748. SOAS. All rights reserved Photograph copyright: SOAS. All rights reserved 17 Jingdezhen temple vases known as the David vases, shown here without an adjustment to straighten them. Underglaze cobalt oxide on porcelain with clear glaze, Yuan dynasty dated in correspondence 16 Case diagram for the David vases. Image copyright: to 1351, height 63.6 cm, diameter 20.7 cm, PDF B613 and B614. Studio A, www.studioassociates.com Photograph copyright: The Trustees of the British Museum 18 Jun ware plate with fl attened rim, stoneware with opalescent blue glaze with purple in-glaze copper pigment splashes, Ming dynasty, 15th century, height 3.6 cm, diameter 18.5 cm, PDF 72. Photograph copyright: SOAS. All rights reserved 19 Case diagram for a case in the centre of the gallery with Qing dynasty porcelains. Image copyright: Studio A, www.studioassociates.com 20 View of Qing dynasty porcelains at 53 Gordon Square. Photograph copyright: The Trustees of the British Museum 21 Case diagram of a typical high-density display in a wall case. Image copyright: Studio A, www.studioassociates.com.