A famille rose ruby-ground 'Medallion' bowl , Daoguang six-character seal mark in underglaze-blue and of the period (1821-1850). Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2014.

The exterior of the bowl is finely decorated with four medallions depicting the 'Lanterns of Abundance', feng deng, separated by colourful stylised floral sprays reserved on a ruby ground incised with feathery scrolling. The interior is delicately painted in shades of cobalt blue with a central flower head encircled by lanterns. 5 in. (14.9 cm.) diam. Estimate £20,000 – £30,000 ($33,580 - $50,370)

Provenance: Christie's New York, 16-17 September, 2010, lot 1483.

Notes: A Daoguang bowl with this design is in the Palace Museum Collection in Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - 39 - Porcelains with Cloisonne Enamel Decoration and Famille Rose Decoration, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 244, no. 216. A very similar bowl was included in the Min Chiu Society exhibition Splendour of the Qing Dynasty, illustrated in the Catalogue, Hong Kong, 1992, p. 327, no. 194. Another example from the collection of S. K. Kwan was included in the exhibition, Joined Colors, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., 1993, catalogue no. 58. A further example is illustrated by Geng Baochang, Ming Qing Ciqi Jianding, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 507. Finally also see a similar bowl in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, illustrated by S. Valenstein, A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1989 rev. ed., pl. 281.

Christie's. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 13 May 2014, London, King Street - http://www.christies.com/