Lot 5. A doucai 'Lotus pond' bowl, Qianlong mark and period (1736-1795); 16.5 cm, 6 1/2  in. Estimate 20,000 — 30,000 GBP. © Sotheby's.

the deep rounded sides rising from a recessed base to a slightly everted rim, finely painted and enamelled around the exterior with three pairs of mandarin ducks flying and swimming in a lotus pond, all below an underglaze blue band of dragons chasing flaming pearls, the interior with a medallion enclosing a similar pair of ducks in a lotus pond and encircled at the rim by a band of lança characters, the base inscribed with the seal mark in underglaze blue.