A Cantonese Export porcelain bowl and dish made for Zill al-Sultan China, dated AH 1297/ AD 1879-80(2)China, dated AH 1297/ AD 1879-80
The bowl of deep rounded form on a short foot, the dish of shallow rounded form, extensively enamelled in polychrome with lotus sprays on a blue ground, with cartouches depicting figural scenes alternating with cartouches depicting floral sprays and birds, divided by bands of trellis motifs, inscription filled roundels to the well of the dish and to the exterior of the bowl.
The dish 27.5 cm. diam. (2).注脚Prince Masoud Mirza Yamin al-Dawla Zill al-Sultan was born to Nasr al-Din Shah and a commoner, so was not in line to the Qajar throne, which would be inherited by his brother, Muzaffar al-Din. He held the post of governor in various provinces of Persia, including Isfahan. For further information, see M. Bamdad, Dictionary of National Biography of Iran, Vol. 4, Tehran, 1966, pp. 78-100.

For a bowl and dish from the same set in the Chinese Porcelain Company Collection, see Daniel Nadler, 'Chinese export porcelain with Arabic inscriptions', Antiques, March 2000, p. 473, Pl. XVI.