Chinese export porcelain tureen and platter for the American market, late 18th to early 19th century. The tureen with and oval cover, pomegranate finial, and cross-laced handles. The octagonal platter with an armorial shield and a latticework transfer banded rim and cavetto.

Provenance: From the Estate of C. Curtis "Curt" Dunnavan, Long Lake, Minnesota.

C. Curtis "Curt" Dunnavan (1926-2022) was a passionate world traveler and avid collector. It was through his travels that he was inspired to begin a lifelong relationship with the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), becoming a major sponsor of the institute and facilitating the growth of their Asian art department, which is now one of the best in the country. His generous donations to Mia allowed them to establish a fund for the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer, one of the few endowed positions of this type in the museum field. He additionally served as a trustee of the institute, advocating for its operational growth. In its turn, the museum established a gallery named in his honor in recognition for his endowment fund and numerous contributions to their collection. The selections here showcase his talent and breadth of collecting, ranging from ancient statues to 19th-century woodblock prints. His appreciation for art persisted throughout his life and we are honored to offer items from his collection in this auction.
Tureen; height: 11 1/2 in x width: 14 in x depth: 9 1/2 in. Platter; height: 17 1/4 in x width: 14 in x depth: 2 in. For both items, there are losses to the paint and the gilding. There is wear throughout both items. There are minute firing flaws throughout. The platter has losses to the outer rim. Under UV light the enamel of the tureen appears to be restored throughout, especially along the blue bands running horizontally along the body and the blue circles on opposite sides of the body. There appears to be restoration along the outer edge of the lid and to the edges of the finial. Along the underside of the footrim there a series of hairline cracks. There is the wear to the footrim and exterior of both items.