An blue and copper-red 'Eight Immortals' bowl, Qianlong seal mark and of the period. Photo: Bonhams.

Decorated around the exterior with the Eight Immortals reserved on a ground of cresting waves, the interior with a central medallion enclosing Shoulao beside a spotted deer, the base with a six-character Imperial zhuanshu mark in underglaze blue. 22cm diam. Estimate HK$ 300,000 - 500,000 (€28,000 - 47,000). Unsold.

The cavetto of the bowl features the Eight Immortals, whom are a group of legendary deities depicted in Chinese mythology. Besides possessing the abilities to bestow life or destroy evil, the Eight Immortals are also revered as Daoist figures and have been associated with popular secular Chinese culture. The Eight Immortals, led by their leader, Lu Dongbin, consists of other members including He Xiangu, Lan Caihe, Zhang Guolao, Han Xiangzi, Zhongli Quan, Li Tieguai and Cao Guojiu.

The scene depicted by the current lot, showing the Eight Immortal traversing above crashing wave motifs, is reference to the well-known Ming Dynasty folklore written by an anonymous author, titled 'The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea'. Legend has it that the Eight Immortals were on their way to attend the Conference of the Magical Peach when they encountered an ocean. Instead of relying on their magical abilities to traverse across the vase body of water, they decided to exercise their individual abilities by using their unique faqi tools. The Chinese proverb of 'Baxian guohai, gexian shentong' is derived from this legend, whereby it bears the moral of, each individual doing their part to make a plan successful.

Compare with a very similar related bowl also dated to the Qianlong period with the same motif of the Eight Immortals crossing the ocean, formerly in the Tim and Sally Turner Collection acquired in the 1990s, subsequently sold in Christie's New York, 19-20 September 2013, lot 1409. Bowls of this type were also produced in blue and white and rarer still in doucai enamels. A Yongzheng mark and period blue and white bowl with the immortals on the exterior, from the collection of Sir Harry Garner, is illustrated by S.Jenyns,Later Chinese Porcelain, London, 1971, pl.LX. A pair of similarly decorated bowls was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 31 May 2010, lot 1876.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, Hong Kong, Admiralty, 26 May 2014 - http://www.bonhams.com/