A famille verte biscuit-enamelled incised bowl, Kangxi six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle and of the period (1662-1722). Estimate £3,000 – £5,000 ($4,602 - $7,670). Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2015

The exterior of the bowl is finely incised with two striding five-clawed dragons chasing flaming pearls and is enamelled in yellow, aubergine, black, lime and green, and glazed on biscuit with two butterflies between blossoming branches. The interior and base are glazed white. 5 7/8 in. (15 cm.) diam.

Provenance: Acquired prior to 2002

Note: A pair of similar bowls in the British Museum is illustrated in S. Vainker, Chinese Pottery and Porcelain, pl.154; another pair in the Victoria & Albert Museum, illustrated in Gulland, Chinese Porcelain, Vol.I, nos. 360 and 361; inSekai Toji Zenshu, vol.12, pl.44; in The Catalogue of The Eumorfopoulos Collection, Vol.5, pl.XXXVIII, no.E200; and in Jenyns, Later Chinese Porcelain, pl. XXXV, fig.1.

Christie's. CHINESE CERAMICS, WORKS OF ART AND TEXTILES, 12 May 2015, London, South Kensington