A blue and white sleeve vase, rolwagen, circa 1640-50. Estimate £1,500 - 1,800 (€2,100 - 2,500). Photo: Bonhams.

With slightly tapering neck rising to a flaring rim, finely painted in underglaze blue with floral and fruiting branches scattered around the body, including lotus, prunus, peony and loquats, all below a band of stiff leaves to the rim and with incised borders around the shoulder and the foot. 45cm (17 5/8in) high

A Distinguished European Private Collection

Notes: The present vase is unusual in its very delicate decorative style. Compare a related vase with larger bamboo and floral decoration but with the similar small lappets on the neck, in the Musée Guimet and dated to 1634, illustrated by Sir M.Butler, M.Medley and S.Little, Seventeenth Century Chinese Porcelain from the Butler Family Collection, Alexandria, 1990, p.14, figs.1 and 1a. Another related slender vase also with scattered floral sprays but interspersed with calligraphy and without lappets on the neck, dated circa 1645-60, in the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, is illustrated by M.Butler, J.Curtis, S.Little, Treasures from an Unknown Reign: Shunzhi Porcelain, Alexandria, 2002, p.46, fig.5.

Bonhams. ASIAN ART, 9 Nov 2015 10:30 GMT - LONDON, KNIGHTSBRIDGE