A pair of  blue and white, 'soldier' vases, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period - Photo Sotheby's

each baluster body painted around the sides with large peony and magnolia blossoms issuing from ornamental rockwork enclosed within a fence, with butterflies and insects in flight above, all above lappet borders at the foot, the neck painted with a ruyi collar suspending chrysanthemums, peonies and ribboned brocade balls, and reserved on a dense ground of cloud swirls and florets, with a keyfret border at the rim, later painted wood covers. Quantité: 4; 105cm, 41 1/4 in. Estimation: 40,000 - 60,000 GBP. Unsold

PROVENANCE: The Viceroys of Portuguese India.
Collection of Dom Luis Caetano de Castro e Almeida, later Count of Nova-Goa, brought to Portugal in the mid-19th century.
By descent to the current Count of Nova-Goa.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. London | 07 nov. 2012 www.sothebys.com