A green and yellow  'dragon' dish. Jiajing mark and period.  Photo Sotheby's

the shallow sides rising from a short tapering foot to a flaring rim, incised to the central medallion with a five-clawed dragon in profile and a flaming pearl amongst radiating cloud scrolls, the exterior with two sinuous dragons chasing flaming pearls amongst cloud wisps, covered overall with an irregularly applied green ground with details picked out in manganese-yellow, the base inscribed with a six-character Jiajing mark within a double circle; 19.8cm., 7 7/8 in. Estimate 50,000-70,000 GBP.  Lot Sold: 151,250 GBP

PROVENANCE: Collection of Edward Arthur Lane (up to 1934).

Collection of R.H.R. Palmer (1898-1970), purchased November 1934, coll. no. 345.

EXHIBITED: Polychrome Porcelain of the Ming and Manchu Dynasties, London, 1950, cat no. 112.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art. London | 09 Nov 2011 www.sothebys.com