A 'sacrificial blue'-glazed bowl, Qianlong seal mark and of the period. Photo: Bonhams.

Elegantly potted with deep rounded sides rising from a short slightly tapering foot to a flared mouth rim, covered inside and out with an attractive deep blue glaze thinning at the mouth and foot rims. 17cm diam. Estimate HK$ 250,000 - 350,000 (€24,000 - 33,000). Unsold.

Notes: 'Sacrificial blue'-glazed ritual vessels were intended for use on the Imperial altar at the Temple of Heaven. By command of the Qianlong Emperor, blue-glazed wares such as the current lot, were used for the Winter Solstice sacrifice to Heaven in 1748.

Compare with a pair of smaller bowls, each with a blue glaze similar to the present bowl, Qianlong mark and of the period, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3536.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART. Hong Kong, Admiralty, 26 May 2014 14:00 HKT - http://www.bonhams.com/