Lot 740: A Chinese blue and white porcelain footbath, Hua Rong Tang Zhi mark, late 19th or 20th century

A Chinese blue and white porcelain footbath of oval form with a tapering body and two shell-shaped handles. The exterior is decorated with an all-over landscape scene featuring pagodas, islands, and sailing vessels in a style reminiscent of the Willow pattern, set between geometric diaper borders at the rim and foot. The interior walls and floor continue this decorative scheme with scattered landscape and maritime motifs. The cobalt blue is applied with a combination of fine-line drawing and broader washes over a slightly greyish-white glaze. The flat base bears a painted blue underglaze four-character mark within a double square border reading 華榮堂製 (Hua Rong Tang Zhi), translating to Made for the Hall of Splendid Prosperity.