Lot 17. A doucai ogee-form 'Eight Daoist emblems' bowl, underglaze blue Qianlong seal mark and period (1736-1795). H. 20,3 cm. Estimate 8,000-12,000 EUR. © Nagel

the flaring sides resting on a straight foot, brightly enameled with eight stylized blossoms borne on sprays of leafy vines above a ruyi-head border, the 'Eight Daoist Emblems' evenly spaced around the cavetto between underglaze-blue line borders, the center with a lobed medallion of green interlocking scrolls, enclosing formalized lotus blossoms and peaches centering an abstract flowerhead, the base with a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue.

Provenance: Former Juergen L. Fischer Collection, Ascona.

Note: During the Qing dynasty, the 'Eight Daoist Emblems', anbaxian, became a popular decorative motif, conveying the auspicious blessings of the immortals to whom they belong.