Plate - Porcelain - Cockerels in a Garden
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An antique Kangxi-period blue-and-white porcelain charger from China, diameter 27.5 cm, titled Cockerels in a Garden, in good condition with minor signs of ageing and no hairlines or restorations detected.
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Description from the seller
A Fine and Unusual Chinese Blue-and-White ‘Cockerels in a Garden’ Charger
China, Qing Dynasty, Kangxi period, circa 1680–1720
Porcelain painted in underglaze cobalt blue
Diameter: 27.5 cm
A finely painted and unusually decorated Chinese blue-and-white porcelain charger of the Kangxi period, boldly painted in varying tones of cobalt blue with a lively garden scene centred on two confronting cockerels.
The well is decorated with the two birds standing opposite one another on a gently rising ground line, surrounded by flowering plants and ornamental rockwork. Behind them rises an architectural setting with a terrace or pavilion structure, flowering branches and a large stylised tree, creating a compact but highly animated garden composition.
The cockerels are rendered with considerable charm and individuality, their raised tails, crested heads and finely hatched plumage giving the scene a particularly lively character. The juxtaposition of the two birds beneath the architectural setting is especially striking and considerably less conventional than the floral or figural central scenes more commonly encountered on Kangxi export chargers.
Below the birds, the painter has added flowering sprays issuing from pierced scholar’s rocks, while the wide border is filled with a continuous arrangement of flowering and fruiting branches, leaves and scrolling stems. The decoration is painted in several shades of underglaze cobalt, from pale washes to strong dark outlines, a characteristic feature of high-quality Kangxi blue-and-white porcelain. Comparable Kangxi wares in the Rijksmuseum demonstrate the same sophisticated use of underglaze-blue garden, bird and floral decoration during the period circa 1680–1720. Rijksmuseum.nl
The reverse is more sparingly decorated with freely painted underglaze-blue floral sprays around the outer wall. The unglazed foot ring shows the expected traces of age and firing.
The unusual central subject is particularly noteworthy. Cockerels are associated in Chinese visual culture with vigilance, courage and martial spirit, and paired birds could also carry auspicious associations. On Kangxi export porcelain, however, large chargers are more frequently encountered with floral medallions, landscapes, figures, peacocks or panels of flowering plants. Christie’s and other collections record many such examples, while paired cockerels as the principal central subject appear considerably less frequently, making the present decoration especially appealing.
Provenance
Old private collection, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Acquired more than 40 years ago and retained continuously in the same Amsterdam private collection until 2026.
The reverse retains an old handwritten dealer or collection label describing the piece as an “Export Blue & White Porcelain Charger”, dating it to the Kangxi period, and recording the diameter as 27.5 cm.
A further old inventory label numbered 1736 remains attached to the reverse.
These historic labels form an important part of the object’s collecting history and should be preserved.
Condition
Excellent condition for age.
The charger has been examined under UV/blue light. No hairlines or restoration were detected.
Minor surface wear, small firing imperfections and normal traces of age only. The glaze retains an attractive lustre and the cobalt decoration remains strong and clearly defined.
The unusually well-preserved condition is especially noteworthy for a Kangxi export charger of this size and age.
Blue-and-white porcelain reached a particularly high level of refinement during the Kangxi reign, when Jingdezhen workshops produced large quantities of technically accomplished porcelain both for the Chinese market and for export to Europe. Surviving Kangxi chargers demonstrate a wide variety of designs, including flowers, birds, landscapes and narrative scenes, often painted in several distinct tones of cobalt blue.
The present example combines several of the most attractive characteristics of Kangxi export porcelain: strong cobalt painting, an extensive garden composition, a broad decorative border, unusual animal iconography, large format and very good preservation.
Seller's Story
Becker Antiques (Established 1966)
Founded in 1966 by Jan Simon Becker, Becker Antiques is one of the most respected and established dealers in Asian art in the Netherlands. Our gallery is housed in a stunning five-storey mansion built in 1891, located in Amsterdam’s prestigious Museum Quarter (Oud-Zuid), just minutes from the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the renowned Royal Concert Hall, “Koninklijk Concertgebouw.”
For nearly 60 years, we have specialized in high-quality and fully authentic works of art from China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and other classical cultures. Our main areas of expertise include:
Han–Ming dynasty pottery and tomb figures
Chinese bronzes, Buddhist sculptures, and ritual objects
Stone and wooden sculptures from Asia
Japanese and Southeast Asian artworks
Qing dynasty furniture and scholar’s items
Every object we offer is carefully selected for authenticity, originality, and historical importance. All items are guaranteed to be as described, supported by decades of specialist knowledge and connoisseurship.
Becker Antiques is trusted by museums, private collectors, and dealers worldwide. We take pride in offering not only genuine works of art, but also the integrity, expertise, and transparency that have defined our gallery for almost six decades.
For any questions, we are always happy to assist.
Legal Notice – Intellectual Property & Authenticity
All descriptions, texts, and seller information provided under the Becker Antiques profile on Catawiki constitute original intellectual property.
No part of these descriptions or seller statements may be copied, reproduced, or adapted—whether in whole or in part—without prior written permission from Becker Antiques.
Becker Antiques is the sole author and copyright holder of all seller texts used in our listings. Unauthorized use or imitation of our content, structure, or professional statements may constitute infringement under EU copyright law and may be reported to Catawiki as a violation of seller terms and misleading commercial practice.
All objects offered by Becker Antiques are guaranteed to be authentic and as described. We do not sell assembled, altered, or modern reproductions unless explicitly stated.
A Fine and Unusual Chinese Blue-and-White ‘Cockerels in a Garden’ Charger
China, Qing Dynasty, Kangxi period, circa 1680–1720
Porcelain painted in underglaze cobalt blue
Diameter: 27.5 cm
A finely painted and unusually decorated Chinese blue-and-white porcelain charger of the Kangxi period, boldly painted in varying tones of cobalt blue with a lively garden scene centred on two confronting cockerels.
The well is decorated with the two birds standing opposite one another on a gently rising ground line, surrounded by flowering plants and ornamental rockwork. Behind them rises an architectural setting with a terrace or pavilion structure, flowering branches and a large stylised tree, creating a compact but highly animated garden composition.
The cockerels are rendered with considerable charm and individuality, their raised tails, crested heads and finely hatched plumage giving the scene a particularly lively character. The juxtaposition of the two birds beneath the architectural setting is especially striking and considerably less conventional than the floral or figural central scenes more commonly encountered on Kangxi export chargers.
Below the birds, the painter has added flowering sprays issuing from pierced scholar’s rocks, while the wide border is filled with a continuous arrangement of flowering and fruiting branches, leaves and scrolling stems. The decoration is painted in several shades of underglaze cobalt, from pale washes to strong dark outlines, a characteristic feature of high-quality Kangxi blue-and-white porcelain. Comparable Kangxi wares in the Rijksmuseum demonstrate the same sophisticated use of underglaze-blue garden, bird and floral decoration during the period circa 1680–1720. Rijksmuseum.nl
The reverse is more sparingly decorated with freely painted underglaze-blue floral sprays around the outer wall. The unglazed foot ring shows the expected traces of age and firing.
The unusual central subject is particularly noteworthy. Cockerels are associated in Chinese visual culture with vigilance, courage and martial spirit, and paired birds could also carry auspicious associations. On Kangxi export porcelain, however, large chargers are more frequently encountered with floral medallions, landscapes, figures, peacocks or panels of flowering plants. Christie’s and other collections record many such examples, while paired cockerels as the principal central subject appear considerably less frequently, making the present decoration especially appealing.
Provenance
Old private collection, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Acquired more than 40 years ago and retained continuously in the same Amsterdam private collection until 2026.
The reverse retains an old handwritten dealer or collection label describing the piece as an “Export Blue & White Porcelain Charger”, dating it to the Kangxi period, and recording the diameter as 27.5 cm.
A further old inventory label numbered 1736 remains attached to the reverse.
These historic labels form an important part of the object’s collecting history and should be preserved.
Condition
Excellent condition for age.
The charger has been examined under UV/blue light. No hairlines or restoration were detected.
Minor surface wear, small firing imperfections and normal traces of age only. The glaze retains an attractive lustre and the cobalt decoration remains strong and clearly defined.
The unusually well-preserved condition is especially noteworthy for a Kangxi export charger of this size and age.
Blue-and-white porcelain reached a particularly high level of refinement during the Kangxi reign, when Jingdezhen workshops produced large quantities of technically accomplished porcelain both for the Chinese market and for export to Europe. Surviving Kangxi chargers demonstrate a wide variety of designs, including flowers, birds, landscapes and narrative scenes, often painted in several distinct tones of cobalt blue.
The present example combines several of the most attractive characteristics of Kangxi export porcelain: strong cobalt painting, an extensive garden composition, a broad decorative border, unusual animal iconography, large format and very good preservation.
Seller's Story
Becker Antiques (Established 1966)
Founded in 1966 by Jan Simon Becker, Becker Antiques is one of the most respected and established dealers in Asian art in the Netherlands. Our gallery is housed in a stunning five-storey mansion built in 1891, located in Amsterdam’s prestigious Museum Quarter (Oud-Zuid), just minutes from the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the renowned Royal Concert Hall, “Koninklijk Concertgebouw.”
For nearly 60 years, we have specialized in high-quality and fully authentic works of art from China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and other classical cultures. Our main areas of expertise include:
Han–Ming dynasty pottery and tomb figures
Chinese bronzes, Buddhist sculptures, and ritual objects
Stone and wooden sculptures from Asia
Japanese and Southeast Asian artworks
Qing dynasty furniture and scholar’s items
Every object we offer is carefully selected for authenticity, originality, and historical importance. All items are guaranteed to be as described, supported by decades of specialist knowledge and connoisseurship.
Becker Antiques is trusted by museums, private collectors, and dealers worldwide. We take pride in offering not only genuine works of art, but also the integrity, expertise, and transparency that have defined our gallery for almost six decades.
For any questions, we are always happy to assist.
Legal Notice – Intellectual Property & Authenticity
All descriptions, texts, and seller information provided under the Becker Antiques profile on Catawiki constitute original intellectual property.
No part of these descriptions or seller statements may be copied, reproduced, or adapted—whether in whole or in part—without prior written permission from Becker Antiques.
Becker Antiques is the sole author and copyright holder of all seller texts used in our listings. Unauthorized use or imitation of our content, structure, or professional statements may constitute infringement under EU copyright law and may be reported to Catawiki as a violation of seller terms and misleading commercial practice.
All objects offered by Becker Antiques are guaranteed to be authentic and as described. We do not sell assembled, altered, or modern reproductions unless explicitly stated.
Details
Era
1400-1900
Title additional information
Cockerels in a Garden
Country of origin
China
Material
Porcelain
Dynastic style/period
Kangxi (1662-1722)
Style
Antique
Provenance
Private collection
Colour
Blue, White
Condition
Good condition - used with small signs of ageing
Attribution
Original
Height
0 cm
Width
0 cm
Diameter
27.5 cm
Depth
0 cm
Estimated period
1650-1700
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