Lot 3331. A small and finely painted enamel 'Quail' dish , Qianlong ruby-enamelled four-character mark within double squares and of the period (1736-1795). Estimate HK$1,000,000 - HK$1,500,000 ($129,573 - $194,359). Price Realized HK$1,180,000 ($152,860). © Christie's Image Ltd 2014

The small circular dish is exquisitely painted on the interior with two quails resting on a stippled, verdant ground detailed on one side with tall stems of chrysanthemum in puce, the other side with pinkish-yellow chrysanthemum flowers growing from jagged rocks, all framed within aubergine archaistic dragon scrolls beneath a band of composite floral scroll at the rim. The exterior is finely painted with an array of composite flowers including lotus, peony, aster and poppy surrounding the foot on a stippled pale-blue ground contoured by ruyi-shaped clouds, below a multi-coloured diamond diaper ground enclosing florets at the rim. The base is enamelled white and inscribed with the reign mark in ruby enamel. 3 3/4 in. (9.3 cm.) diam., box 

Note: The delightful scene depicted on this dish is reminiscent of the renowned Barbara Hutton famille rose dishes from the Yongzheng period, also masterfully painted with a pair of quails resting at leisure amongst rocks and flowers on a verdant ground. The pair of porcelain dishes and the current metal dish share the same characteristic of being consummately enamelled with great attention paid to every detail, seen particularly in the finely delineated quail feathers and gracefully shaded flower petals. The Barbara Hutton dishes were sold at Sotheby's London, 8 July 1974, lot 411.

Quail in Chinese bears the character an, which is a pun for 'peace', while chrysanthemum bears the character ju, a pun for 'dwell'. Hence the combination of quails and chrysanthemum on this dish provides the rebus anju, 'May you dwell in peace'. 

Christie's. THE IMPERIAL SALE / IMPORTANT CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 28 May 2014, Hong Kong