Lot 307, Five yellow-ground green and aubergine-enamel 'dragon' dishes, Qianlong seal marks and period. Estimate 40,000 — 60,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

each finely incised on the interior with a green and an aubergine dragon contesting a 'flaming pearl', their sinuous scaly bodies writhing among flames within a double-line border, the exterior incised with four flying cranes and clouds enameled in green, all reserved against a rich egg-yolk yellow ground, the bases inscribed in aubergine enamel with six-character seal marks, fitted box (6). Diameters 5 1/2  in., 14 cm

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ELIZABETH MEAD MERCK

Provenance: Nathan Bentz, Santa Barbara, California, acquired prior to 1940.
Collection of Edward H. Bennett (1874-1954), and thence by descent.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 16 mars 2016, 10:00 AM