Rare small square Canton enamel plate from the Qing Dynasty

• Material: Painted enamel on copper (Canton enamel). • Era: Qing Dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795). • Dimensions: Approximately 10 x 10 cm. Height: 2 cm. • Shape: Square with clipped/festooned corners (canted corners). • Decor: A splendid central scene depicting outdoor figures, inspired by classic Chinese literary or theatrical narratives (a historical military scene with camp tents, banners and a rider). The border features an elegant continuous frieze of black and gold foliate scrolls of exquisite finesse. • Mark: On the reverse, a four-character reign mark in seal script (zhuanshu) painted in rose/red enamel within a double square, confirming attribution to the Qianlong period. Condition Report: • Heavily worn / piece from a dug-up or discovered find. • Numerous enamel losses, superficial structural cracks (craquelure), and gaps along the margins and in the corners, exposing the natural green-brown copper oxidation of the original copper support. • Two ancient perforations (natural holes or for mounting) are visible in the upper corner of the copper plate. • Despite these significant age-related damages and the fragility of enamel-on-metal, the piece preserves an excellent freshness of its colors (Rose Family enamels) and its authenticity is evident.

Estimate:£0.83

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