Lot 289. A large Fahua 'Lotus and egret' jar, Ming dynasty, 16th century; the porcelain: 33.7cm., 13 1/4 in. Estimate 15,000 — 20,000 GBP (20,908 — 27,878 EUR). Lot Sold 18,750  GBP (26,136 EUR). Photo: Sotheby's.

the rounded shoulders tapering to a gently spreading foot, surmounted by a short neck with a lipped rim, boldly decorated in yellow, green, aubergine and turquoise enamel against a dark blue ground, depicting egrets in flight above and wading through a lotus pond, with large blooms and curling leaves, all above crashing waves and rockwork, with a ruyi-filled lotus collar at the shoulder and cloud sprays at the neck, all surmounted by an openwork wood lotus cover surmounted by a lingzhi malachite finial.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, London, 13 may 2015