DIA150mm, China
This item selected by Furze for the Something Old Something New exhibition and is available at both Mountain Folkcraft and Soil.
There is something non-Chinese about this plate, I thought. Looking up exports chinaware, it is no where to be found. Perhaps its the shape of the plate, I thought. Then I was surprised to find out, thought not a common form, the shape has been around since the Sung dynasty. Chinaware, blue and white, a common Chinese theme of flower and bird, a form that goes back 1000 years it seems that there should be nothing none Chinese about it. On further research, it seems that the form of certain pottery and metal ware were heavily influenced by the import of Persian silverware in the Tang dynasty, the polylobed shape is one of them.
Ming dynasty pottery polylobed dish
Tang dynasty polylobed silver court wine cup, Nanjing Museum
Persian silver polylobed cup of the 11th Century
Mountain Folkcraft 