An extremely rare blue-ground and copper-red 'dragon' bowl. Kangxi six-character mark and of the period.  Photo Bonhams

Of deep rounded sides rising to the everted rim, supported on a short slightly tapering foot ring, incised and painted in deep copper-red with two striding five-clawed dragons pursuing the flaming pearl amidst fire scrolls, reserved on incised waves underneath a rich cobalt blue ground, between a copper-red band below the rim and around the unglazed foot, the interior and base white glazed; 15.8cm (6 ¼in) diam. Sold for £75,650

Provenance: an Italian private collection

The present lot is extremely rare and only three other examples appear to have been published. See R.Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, Vol.II, 1994, Catalogue no.836, formerly in the collection of Edward T.Chow; and a pair illustrated in Ming and Ch'ing Porcelain from the Collection of the T.Y.Chao Family Foundation, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1978.

Compare also an underglaze copper-red bowl, six-character Kangxi mark and period, from the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, now in the British Museum, illustrated by M.Medley in Illustrated Catalogue of Underglaze Blue and Copper Red Decorated Porcelains, London, 1976, pl.XIV, no.B665.

Bonhams. Fine Chinese Art, 10 Nov 2011, New Bond Street www.bonhams.com