An unusual high karat gold 'dragon' snuff bottle, Qianlong mark.  Sold for US$ 185,000 (€165,119). Photo: Bonhams.

The oval bottle finely cast with an energetic five-clawed dragon encircling the side walls striding through dense, layered cloud scrolls pursuing a flaming pearl, all against a stippled ground, the underside designed with scrolling waves, the matching cap sided with swastika symbols on blue enamel, and topped with another dragon and a pearl, hinged to the shoulder and open to reveal a leiwen-decorated neck incised with the six-character mark, the stopper surmounted with a red bead amongst clouds, extending a handle carefully rendered as a scaly dragon leg with its claw holding the spoon. 2 1/8in (5.4cm) high

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE WORKS OF ART AND PAINTINGS, 23 Jun 2015 10:00 PDT - SAN FRANCISCO