A silk brown-ground 'eight-dragon' robe, 19th century. Photo courtesy Bonhams.

The brown silk ground couched with gold-wrapped thread with a front-facing five-clawed dragon encircling the flaming pearl on the front and the back, each accompanied by two further dragons each in pursuit of a flaming pearl above the hem and another dragon on each sleeve, the central dragons each above a bat suspending a basket of peach and finger citron, all amidst cloud scrolls and scattered Daoist symbols and cranes, ducks, and bats in flight, the hem with qilin emerging from crashing waves. 112cm (44in) high. Sold for £3,750 (€4,498)

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART. London, New Bond Street. 7 Nov 2013 - www.bonhams.com