A pale green jade 'dragon' stand and cup, Late Ming Dynasty. Photo: Bonhams.

The flat stand with lobed rim enclosing a pair of confronted slender four-clawed dragons each with a Buddhist wan symbol on its snout and surrounding the circular stand for the cup base between a shou character above and a foliate lotus below; together with an associated pale green jade two-handled cup with floral handles and incised with four chrysanthemum. The stand 18cm (7in) wide (2). Estimate £3,000 - 5,000 (€3,700 - 6,100)

Provenance: a Scottish private collection and thence by descent

A related rectangular pale green jade cup stand carved with confronted dragons, Ming dynasty, is illustrated in Jade Selections from Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties in the Tibet Museum, 2005, pl.36.

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