Bowl with lotus scroll

This is an interesting example displaying "double-fabricated" features, in both the bowl's mark and decoration, resulting from an attempt to re-create a precious Yongle type with gold decoration (ZGM Quanji 1988 vol. 3: pl. 70). Its glaze lacks the smooth and soupy quality of early Ming works, but the deep footring with a slightly concave base bearing the grayish-blue mark carelessly written are characteristics of Ming works. The use of gold on colored surfaces flourished during the Jiajing-Wanli periods (1522-1620) (ZGM Quanji 1988 vol. 3: pl. 117). The phenomenon of decorating old vessels with new polychrome decoration occurred frequently from the late Ming through the early twentieth century, a practice which has confused many connoisseurs.