Saucer

The saucer is complete. It is circular in shape. The wall is flared at the top, and the top of the rim is corrugated. The wall curves at the base towards the sock, which is slightly domed. It rests on a ring-shaped foot. The underside of the base is recessed and flat. There is a mark printed in blue below the bottom: it consists of a square made of two lines, and contains symbols. The inner bottom has a slight circular well, which corresponds exactly to the diameter of the foot. The saucer is cracked and stained with iron rust ; The decoration is painted on the cover and applied by underglaze printing (Transfer printed); the painted decoration is gilded and the printed decoration is very pale blue with an oriental motif (Two Temples). The printed decoration is visible below the inner rim and on the inner background. The decoration under the inner rim consists of a complex frieze of five different motifs, some of which are repeated in alternation. Below the rim is a braid made of a strand of small pearls in reserve, with a core. This is followed by a band composed of two alternating motifs, separated by a full band in dark blue with a half-flower in reserve; it is bordered at its base by a latticework with central crosses, and itself bordered by a scroll. One of the main motifs is a latticework with central crosses; it is bordered by an acanthus leaf and features a central Chinese motif, the solid Ju-i with a small core in reserve. This trellis supports two mirrored Greciques, bordered by a scroll and a cluster of pearls. The other design features a hexagonal rhombus background with a core, bordered by a dark blue volute, cut at the edge into two half-flowers to accommodate a butterfly with outstretched wings. The butterfly is encircled by two areas with a fish-scale motif and closed by scrolls. The background features an oriental scene of islands, two of which are linked by a bridge spanning a river. On one of the islands, in the foreground, stand two tiered temples with dark blue roofs, each with an entrance and staircase; in one of them stands a figure. These temples are surrounded by trees, and tiered rocks lie on the shore. At the rear of the temples is a wall with three sections intersecting at right angles; one section has two open square windows, while the other has a window closed by an X-shaped cross. The island borders a river on the right, spanned by a single-arched stone bridge, seen in profile, on which two figures stand, following each other; bald, they wear what appears to be a horse’s tail. Behind the bridge, the island of temples is enclosed by a fence of which only a panel and a post can be seen; the panel is adorned with a central rectangle. The bridge leads to another island lined with rocks and trees, including a willow tree. In the foreground, a fence crosses the river; it features compartments that intersect at an angle and are decorated with swastikas. In the background is a large island with pavilions, tiered pagoda, trees and rocks. A small, stylized boat sails past this island. The background is blurred. The junction of the frieze under the inner edge is barely visible. There is gilding on the rim, and a fillet of gilding on the inner wall, at the base of the frieze adorning the rim.