A porcelain magic bowl for the Islamic MarketChina, late 18th Century
14.0cm diam.注脚Made in the Fujian province and exported through the port of Swatow, or Shantou, these types of wares were made exclusively for the Islamic world. The 'magic square' in the centre is divided into sixteen squares containing numbers from 41 to 56, arranged so that every line in each direction adds up to the same total - 194. The concentric inscriptions, usually extracts from the Quran, such as "There is no man like Ali', together with the magic square, are said to have healing power. However, the calligraphy and the artistic imagination of Chinese craftsmen can render the design difficult to understand at times.

For two similarly decorated bowls, see Bonhams London, Islamic and Indian Art including Sikh Treasures and Arts of the Punjab, 23 Oct 2018, Sale 24626, Lot 57, and Islamic and Indian Art Including The Lion and the Sun, Art from Qajar Persia, 30 Apr 2019, Sale 25434, Lot 44

Bibliography:
Michel Beurdeley, and Guy Raindre, Qing Porcelain: Famille Verte, Famille Rose, Thames and Hudson, London, 1987, p. 229-230

十八世紀 漳州窯外銷中東印度'阿拉伯幻方'菱口小盤

此類'幻方'紋飾的瓷器，福建燒造並由汕頭出口伊斯蘭世界。'幻方'中含數字41到56，縱橫每列和皆為194。四周環形文字，多為《可蘭經》中經文，與幻方一樣，伊斯蘭世界相信具有治愈神力。因中國工匠不通阿拉伯文，常使經文漫漶不辯。

比較兩相似'幻方'盤，見邦瀚斯倫敦，2018年10月23日，拍號24626，拍品57號，及2019年4月30日，拍號25434，拍品44號。