Chinese Charger or Large Plate

A wide, shallow dish in the cool green of old celadon, flecked like a pond in spring.

This charger or large plate comes from China and dates to the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1912 CE). It is porcelain. Large chargers were made for display and for serving, and Qing potters were especially skilled at single-color glazes, among them greens that imitate earlier celadon wares. The rim is broad and flat, the well is shallow, and the whole piece rests on a low foot ring. The glaze is an even grey green with tiny dark specks, while the edge shows a thin line of white. It is 2.25 inches high and 12.75 in diameter.

A quiet plate, which is a rarer thing than it sounds.