Of tapering form, rising from the slightly flared foot to the high rounded shoulders, surmounted by the waisted neck and rounded rim, finely painted in varying shades of blue around the central register with nine chi dragons amidst a meandering leafy lotus blossom scroll, between a continuous lotus scroll around the shoulders and lotus petal panels framing floral garlands above the foot, the neck with a band of upright lappets. 

Provenance：A European private collection

Note: The present vase is finely painted in the Ming-style with varying shades of blue imitating the 'heaping and piling' effect of the high iron-content cobalt blue used during the early Ming dynasty. In decoration, the nine chi dragons, a popular theme also represented in other mediums, including jade, cloisonné enamel, glass and rhinoceros horn, may allude to the 'nine sons of the dragon', with the number nine seen as the number of heaven, associated with the emperor. 

The present vase is finely painted in the Ming-style with varying shades of blue imitating the 'heaping and piling' effect of the high iron-content cobalt blue used during the early Ming dynasty. In decoration, the nine chi dragons, a popular theme also represented in other mediums, including jade, cloisonné enamel, glass and rhinoceros horn, may allude to the 'nine sons of the dragon', with the number nine seen as the number of heaven, associated with the emperor. 

Bonhams. AUCTION 23347: FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 10:00 HKT - HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY