A pair of rare famille rose gold-ground 'Butterflies and Flowers' bowls, Daoguang six-character seal marks in underglaze-blue and of the period (1821-1850). Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2014

Each bowl is delicately potted with deep rounded sides, supported on a short foot. The exterior is elaborately decorated with butterflies and small insects in flight above colourful flowers, all reserved against a shimmering gold ground. 4 ¼ in. (10.7 cm.) diam. Estimate £15,000 – £20,000 ($25,215 - $33,620)

Notes: It is very rare to find a pair of gold-ground bowls dating to the Daoguang period. Compare these to a Kangxi mark and period (1662-1722) gold-ground bowl in the Palace Museum in Beijing, illustrated in Kangxi,Yongzheng,Qianlong: Qing Porcelain from the Palace Musuem Collection, 1989, p. 91, no. 74.

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