A rare doucai candlestick, Qianlong Seal Mark And Period.  Photo Sotheby's

the columnar candlestick above a wide drip pan with slightly flaring sides and everted rim, supported on a tall bell-shaped base and enameled and gilt throughout with a dense colorful lotus scroll issuing leaves with ruyi and key-fret bands, all banded or outlined in underglaze blue, six-character seal mark in a line within a gilt and iron-red border Height 13 3/4 in., 35 cm - Estimate 180,000-250,000 USD

NOTE: Candlesticks of this type are usually found as part of an Imperial altar garniture, with matching incense burner and guform vases, all invariably decorated with bajixiang and lotus scrolls. A Qianlong-marked doucai-decorated five-piece altar garniture presented by Lord Kitchener to Sir Thomas Hohler, was sold in our London rooms, 16th December 1980, lot 677 and again in our London rooms, 11th May 2011, lot 230. A ruby-ground set is in the National Palace Museum and included in 'A Special Exhibition of Incense Burners and Perfumers Throughout the Dynasties', Taiwan 1994, illustrated in the Catalogue, no.105.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. New York | 20 Mar 2012 www.sothebys.com