A powder-blue and gilt 'medallion' bottle vase, Guangxu six-character mark and of the period. Photo Bonhams

All covered with an even-bright powder-blue glaze, the bulbous body and flaring neck painted in gold with scattered medallions of different design including those from nature such as birds, insects and plants such as iris and double gourds and other more geometric patterns including shou characters, the Eight Trigrams or stylised flowers, the shoulder with a decorative band containing shou characters amid lotus scrolls. 38.8cm (15 1/4in) high. Estimate £2,000 - 3,000 (€2,400 - 3,600)

Provenance: a distinguished European private collection

A very similar blue-glazed vase with gilt medallions and a Guangxu mark and of the period is illustrated in Imperial Porcelain of the Late Qing from the Kwan Collection, Hong Kong, 1983, no.126.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART. London, New Bond Street, 15 May 2014 - www.bonhams.com