Lot 3743. A fine pair of iron-red decorated blue and white dishes, Daoguang six-character sealmarks and of the period (1821-1850); 7 in. (17.7 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 300,000 - HKD 400,000. Price Realized HKD 740,000. © Christie's Images Ltd. 2011   

Both well painted on the exterior with nine five-clawed dragons rendered in iron-red, each in various stances: striding, standing upright and full-fronted, all against an underglaze-blue background of swirling waves, below a stylised border, the interior similarly decorated with a central roundel of a dragon leaping against a wave background, box. 

Property of the Yiqingge Collection.

Provenance: Edward T. Chow, Part One, Ming and Qing Porcelain, sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 25 November 1980.