Lot 345. A silk blue-ground 'dragon' robe, jifu, 19th century. Estimate £2,000 - 3,000 (€2,400 - 3,600). Photo: Bonhams.

The robe worked in couched gold thread with nine five-clawed dragons pursuing flaming pearls amongst ruyi clouds interspersed with bats and 'Precious Emblems', above the terrestrial diagram and a lishui border, the horseshoe cuffs with similar designs of dragons, clouds and crashing waves, all worked in Peking stitch. 209cm (82 2/8in) wide

Provenance: an English private collection

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART, 11 May 2017, 11:00 BST, LONDON, NEW BOND STREET