A very elegant, green jade water pot. 17th-18th century. Photo Bonhams

The semi-translucent, pale green stone with cloudy-white and some darker inclusions, designed as a large lotus leaf, the edges curling up to form a large vessel supported by a gnarled stem, tightly fastened by a knot to a spray of lingzhi fungi, magnolia, lotus blossoms and leaves, all carved in a luxuriously reticulated design, fitted box. 10cm (4in) wide. Estimate: £30,000 - 40,000 (HK$ 360,000 - 480,000) (€38,000 - 50,000) 

Footnotes: Literature: Hansford, Chinese Jade Carving, plXXXb, where a similar example, dated to the Qianlong Period, is illustrated; for another related example, also dated Qianlong, see Ho et al., Splendour of the Qing Dynasty, no. 239, p.375; similar vessels, one dated to the Ming Dynasty and one to the 18th century, are also illustrated by Liu, Translucent World: Chinese Jade from the Forbidden City, the first no 92, pp. 147-8, the latter no. 140, p.201.

Bonhams. 5 Sep 2012 11 a.m. London, Knightsbridge. Chinese & other Asian Works of Art