Two rare pottery Buddhist reliquary jars and covers - Dali Kingdom, Yunnan Province, 12th century

Each of sumptuous globular form, surmounted by a truncated conical cover, terminating in a stupa finial, the covers incised with stylised lotus flowers, set against four segmented horizontal bands, the main body applied with eight broad upright leaves, separated from each other by a subtly incised tree, all above prominent ridge band at the lower body and below a similar band at the shoulder, the neck finely carved with eight vajra emblems, interspersed by wan symbols. The larger 57cm (22½in) high. (4). Estimate: £2,500 - 3,000

Note : the interior of one jar is applied with twelve naturalistically modelled zodiac animals (minor restoration). A footnote to this lot reads: It is extremely rare to find a jar combining Buddhist iconography with the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac.

Bonhams. Asian Art including Fine Bronzes, 26 Feb 2008. New Bond Street