underglaze painted fritware, the well with central roundel depicting a swan encircled by a lotus, three firing spur marks, the cavetto with repeated floral design, the lip with a band of repeated scrolls, the underside with rim foot drilled with twin holes, the sides painted with repeated scrollling leaf motifs, 4.5cm high; 28.5cm diam.

Provenance: Private collection, London. Acquired before 1967.

This type of pottery is known as 'Kubachi' because considerable numbers have been found at the site of that name. However, it is now thought that these ceramics were made in Tabriz. For a larger dish of this type from the Desenfans Collection (previously Kevorkian Collection), sold in 2008, see Bonhams, London, 10 April, lot 44. See also The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, inv. no. 68.223.12, for another dish depicting a duck.