Lot 267. A sky-blue-ground silk woman's padded winter robe, Late Qing Dynasty. Sold for £3,625 (€4,707). Photo: Bonhams.

The light-blue damask intricately woven with the Eight Daoist Emblems on a ruyi ground, richly embroidered in satin stitch with vibrant silk threads depicting hovering butterflies amidst sprays of peonies, prunus, chrysanthemums and orchids, the design repeated on the pale-pink-ground cuffs, with black-ground ruyi borders delicately embroidered with cranes and peacocks within a fenced garden defined by flowering shrubs and rocks, padded. 133cm (52 3/8in) long

Property from the Mr. and Mrs. C. Lefebvre Collection of Chinese Robes

Notes: Wishes concerning the attainment of immortality, conveyed by the Emblems of the Eight Immortals, notorious group of legendary figures possessing semi-divine powers, are reinforced on this robe with the occurrence of cranes, vehicle of the immortals, and the peacocks inhabiting the heavenly realms advocated in Buddhist scriptures. 

A related robe, albeit embroidered on a red-ground silk, is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, illustrated by V.Wilson, Chinese Dress, London, 1986, no.241-1963, front and back cover. 

Bonhams. AUCTION 23237: FINE CHINESE ART, LONDON, NEW BOND STREET