QING DYNASTY Of square form carved with well-polished sides and a plain base, surmounted by a recumbent Chi-long on all fours, the stone of a pale celadon tone. L 3.3 cm

QING DYNASTY Of auspicious pendant form decorated with an upright ruyi-shaped motif in between raised circular bosses, the stone with naturalistic veins and inclusions. L 6.9 cm

QING DYNASTY Of rectangular form worked with a Buddhist lion with one paw resting on a brocade ball within a square border beneath a pair of confronting archaistic dragons, on the reverse with a four-character inscription, Yutang jinxiu, the stone mottled with naturalistic black and russet inclusions. H 5.5 cm

QING DYNASTY Of circular form rendered in the form of a coiled scaly dragons, the lines on its horn finely incised, the mouth in openwork exposing its teeth. D 7 cm

QING DYNASTY Of rectangular form with ruyi-shaped clouds bordering the top, worked with the scene of He xiangu sailing on a raft with a basket in front of the rippling water in high relief, the reverse with inscriptions. H 5.6 cm

QING DYNASTY Qing Dynasty Of circular formed encircled by eight auspicious ruyi in openwork, one side worked to the scene of a rider on a galloping animal with a ruyi scepter in his hand amidst a rocky plain, the reverse with an auspicious lingzi sprig. D 6.8 cm

QING DYNASTY Qing Dynasty Of circular form worked to the scene of harvesting farmers on one side, the reverse with a seated figure and a child taming a buffalo amidst a grassy plain, the jade mottled with naturalistic creamy white inclusions. D 5.9 cm

QING DYNASTY Carefully worked with an heron perching amidst intertwining stems of lotus plants, the feather on its wing meticulously incised, the reverse with further leafy veins issuing lotus blossoms, the finely polished stone mottled with naturalistic russet and white inclusions. H 7.5 cm

QING DYNASTY The amulet of good fortune comprising of a hundred and eight coral beads, further enhanced by two tassels strung with metal beads, the fota in a double gourd shape suspending a beaded tassel strung with a metal bead, a coral lotus and a rectangular pendent mottled with dark brown inclusions. L 68.2 cm

QING DYNASTY Comprising of a hundred and eight amber beads, the fota in a double gourd shape suspending a buddha pendant. L 80 cm

QING DYNASTY The amulet of good fortune comprising of a hundred and eight coral beads, the fota in a double gourd shape suspending a flattened oval pendant and terminating in a metal dewdrop, further enhanced by three tassels strung with beads, each terminating in an teardrop pendant. L 94.3 cm

QING DYNASTY The bare chested bald figure dressed in a drapery around his belly, standing atop a lotus pedestal with its left hand pointing towards to sky and its right hand pointing towards the ground. According to popular folklore, Prince Siddhartha walked seven steps right after his birth, where each of these step was accompanied by the blossoming of a lotus flower. As he took his seventh step, with a finger pointing towards the sky and another finger towards the ground, the prince uttered a gatha, which posits that in all of Heaven and Earth, he wishes to liberate mankind from birth, old age, sickness, and death. H 17 cm

QING DYNASTY Seated in dhyanasana on a double lotus pedestal, dressed in loosely draped robes left open at the chest exposing the jeweled necklaces, dressed in a dhoti with hems incised with a foliate pattern with a lotus stem blossoming at the shoulders, the face with a benevolent expression surmounted by a pointed crown. H 16 cm

QING DYNASTY Seated in dhyanasana with its right hand in vitarkamudra and its left hand holding a cup, the smiling face of the benevolence figure flanked by a pair of lobed ears and framed by an elaborate spiked crown binding the hair, wearing lose robes exposing the bare chest adorned with beaded jewelry and ornament, all elaborately gilded in gold. H 23 cm

QING DYNASTY Seated in a posture of royal ease with her hands wrapped around her upright knee, wearing a elegantly folded drapery adorned with a foliate rim, exposing at the chest to reveal an elaborately jeweled necklace, the face with a pensive expression beneath a crown with the image of the parent Amitabha Buddha on the crown covered by a cowl with two long braids extending down the shoulders. H 10.3cm

QING DYNASTY The deity seated in the posture of royal ease, the hair worn in knotted tresses that fall across the shoulders and partially swept up into a topknot above the serene face with downcast eyes, dressed in a voluminous robes opening at the chest to expose a pendent necklace, her hands resting upon the raised left knee hidden within the long sleeves of the gracefully draped robe, with a vase placed on an outcropping of rock to one side. A similar dehua Guanyin is illustrated in Chinese Ceramic Tresures, A Selection from the Ulricehamn East Asian Museum, The Museum of Art and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 2002, no 817, p.285. Compare with a similar seated dehua Guanyin sold in Christie's Hong Kong, 30 May 2005, lot 1519. H 16 cm

QING DYNASTY The porcelain plaques each depicting birds in flight or amongst flowering branches with inscriptions near the extremities of the upper corner, the wood panels decorated with further auspicious objects. H 185 cm

QING DYNASTY Of square section, the cover carved in deep relief with a bearded scholar playing the qin with an attendant standing nearby a censer placed atop an ornamental rockwork, another figure appears under the pavilion, all amidst further rock works and an old pine tree, the sides carved with vibrant blossoming peonies amidst leafy greens, the carving is deep, well rounded and bold. L 13.5 cm

QING DYNASTY Of rectangular form supported on four feet, the removable panel finely carved through the rich cinnabar lacquer with a central frame enclosing scholars nestled in a terraced lush garden setting engaging in leisurely activities with two attendants nearby and a distant pavilion amidst a mountainous landscape scene within a raised border of key-fret, all reserved on a floral-diaper ground, the reverse and the sides similarly decorated with scholars playing a game of chess, the front set with a gilt-bronze lock opening to reveal a partition of drawers and two compartments in between a central drawer, the top fitted with a hinged gilt-metal double handle with ruyi-shaped ends, the interior and the base lacquered black. L 35.2 cm

MING DYNASTY Of square form with indented corners, the cover finely decorated in polychrome with a serene scene depicting a pair of plumped birds near the grassy rockworks next to the shore below the shade of a flowering leafy branch, the interior decorated with a plumped magpie perching upon a leafy branch issuing a vibrant peony in full bloom. L 13 cm

JIAQING SIX CHARACTER MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1522-1566) Of foliate form with six lobed sides raising from a short straight foot, the exterior exquisitely carved with a band of ruyi clouds above another band of leafy sprigs issuing flowing blossoms, the interior and base lacquered black. D 26.7 cm

WANLI INCISED AND GILT SIX-CHARACTER MARKS AND OF THE PERIOD (1573-1619) Of circular form, the cover intricately decorated with a four-clawed dragon protruding out of turbulent waves amidst auspicious stylised clouds, the sides with leafy greens and florets inlaid with the mother of pearl, all aganist a reddish dark brown ground extending to the interior and gilt with a reign mark on the base. D 6.8 cm

LATE QING Of square form decorated with a frieze of key frets around the four corners in between leafy floral sprigs above the central rouleau encircling a branch with flowering plum blossoms above inscriptions against a diaper ground of double diamond enclosing a formalized floret. H 17.5 cm

QIANLONG AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795) The cup of foliate form with an intricately guided gnarled branch forming the elegant handle, the exterior decorated with leafy sprigs issuing flowering peonies, the interior with a centralized leafy sprig, a matching saucer of foliate rims similarly decorated. H 3.5 (cup), D 11.8 (plate)

13TH CENTURY Standing with both legs straight, the broad shoulders swathed in a flowing shawl finely incised with a foliate motif along the rims and opening to reveal the bare chest, the right hand raised in abhaya mudra, the face modeled with a gentle smile, elongated eyes, and gently arching brows flanked by a pair of circular earrings, the hair arranged in regular rows of tight snail curls whorls surmounted by a domed usnisa. H 60 cm

11-12TH CENTURY Finely modeled with a raised urn in between the arched eyebrows above eyes in gentle contemplation, further cast with an elaborate network of jewelry chains festooned across the bare torso, the right ear adorned with a large disk earring with a swirling floral design and encircled by beads, the armlets feature a face of glory kirtimukha on a triangular foliate leaf above the waist emblazoned with further jewelry chains. H 82 cm

DAOGUANG SEAL MARKS IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF THE PERIOD (1821-1850) Each with deep rounded sides rising to a slightly everted rim, finely painted in delicate famille rose enamels on the exterior with a flowering vine bearing ripe fruit, one of which with its burst skin revealing red seeds, growing beside bamboo sprays, the branches turning over the lipped rim of the bowl to a continuous pattern in the interior with a fluttering butterfly in flight. D 11 cm

JIAQING SEAL MARK AND PERIOD (1522-1566） The deep rounded sides rising from a short foot to a flared lipped rim, covered overall with a rich egg-yolk yellow glaze darkening to an amber tone at the foot, seal mark in underglaze blue. D 14.5 cm

YUAN DYNASTY Potted with slightly lobed sides in resemblance to upright lotus pedals on the exterior, rising to a flat everted rim, the interior moulded with a pair of fish swimming in opposite directions, detailed with fin and raised scales within a circle, covered overall in a pale green glaze. D 13 cm

YUAN-EARLY MING DYNASTY Of compressed globular form supported on three partially unglazed cabriole legs, rising to a short straight neck flanked by a pair of upright rectangular handles, the interior covered with an attractive even speckled lavender glaze thinning to a mushroom color at the everted mouth rim and the extremities of the handles, the exterior mottled with an irregular splash of purple. Junware has been highly sought after by connoisseurs across centuries. Historically, its inception originated in Yuxian, Henan, its production subsequently spread to Hebei, Shanxi and the inner Mongolia during the Jin and Yuan dynasties. In essence, it was not until the Ming dynasty that Junware is recorded in literary sources such as the Songsi jiagui bu (The Rules of the Song Family) by Song Xu and in Lidai mingci tupu (Catalogue of Famous wares of the Dynasties) by Bian Yuanxiang. The typical tripod censer has a compressed globular body where the lower section are unglazed to emphasize their the thickness of the glaze. The vertical handle on the side of the tripod censor was an imitation of bronze ding tripods, a feature introduced during the Yuan dynasty. Compare with a large handle censor with an exceptionally thick glaze found in Hohhot, Inner Mogolia, illustrated in Ancient Jun ware from the Yip Collection, University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong, 2008, pl.105, pp.164 and 165. This vessel is inscribed and dated to 1309 and similar to the present lot, the exquisite purple splash greatly complements the pale blue glaze, where the unglazed bottom exposes the thickness of the glaze and the flambé effects. Compare with another Junyao censer of similar form, illustrated in Ceramics Gallery of the Palace Museum, Taipei, 2009, p.215, pl.195. See also a closely related example sold in Christie's New York, 22 March 1999, lot 260. H 7.3 cm

NORTHERN SONG DYNASTY Of hemispherical form below a straight foot rim, the cover decorated with eight tri-spiral motifs leading up to a central foliate medallion, all rendered in openwork, the body further moulded with a band in relief below the straight rim, the exterior covered in a clear glaze suffused with very fine crackles. H 13 cm

FIVE DYNASTIES The slightly compressed globular body potted with a raised band above an alternating band of floral and animal head medallions, rising to a tapering cylindrical neck further encircled by two bowstring bands below the lobed garlic mouth rim, covered overall with an unctuous crackle-suffused glaze of pale greenish tone pooling in areas of relief, stopping just above the wide straight foot with two perforations on the base. H 26.5 cm

NORTHERN QI (550-577) Of bulbuls form molded with a raised foliate band around the mid-section, decorated with a band of floret motif and six double-looped handles around the shoulder, the slightly flared neck finely carved with grooves separating the three registers, each further adorned with bands of floret medallions, all covered in a translucent glaze of greyish-green color stopping above the circular base. H 37.5 cm

SONG DYNASTY The rounded sides moulded into twelve lobes radiating from the base on the exterior, rising to a short straight neck, covered overall in a thick crackled glaze of soft olive-green tone pooling in areas of recesses, the interior of the foot similarly glazed. D 14.2 cm

TANG DYNASTY The octalobed mirror decorated with a domed knob encircled by two recumbent beasts and two birds amidst foliate vines, the outer field further embellish with floral sprigs in each of the lobed field, the patina of a mottled green. Compare with a closely related mirror with a similar decorative motif from the Anthony & Susan Hardy Collections, illustrated in The Glorious Traditions of Chinese Bronzes, Asian civilization Museum, Singapore, pl.105, pp.230-231. See also another octalobed bronze phoenix and qilin mirror from the David H. Graham Jr. Collection, illustrated in Bronze mirrors from ancient China, Cat no.92 (M61), pp. 244-245. L 21 cm

SUI DNASTY The circular mirror with a central domed knob encircled by six alternating floral and celestial animal roundels amidst foliated arabesques, surrounded by a band enclosing inscriptions in between inclined bands of hachured lines, sawtooth patterns and stylised clouds, the bronze mottle with areas of green patina. During the Sui dynasty, designs such as flowers and running auspicious animals such as the suanni, became established. Mirrors with an inclined edge and saw-tooth motif frequently encompass two rows of saw-tooth pattern. It is also interesting to note that the knob tend to be smaller than their Han counterparts and are often hemispherical with a hole. Compare with a circular mirror featuring a very similar decorative motif and inscriptions dated to the Sui dynasty from the David H. Graham Jr. Collection, illustrated in Bronze mirrors from ancient China, Cat no.70 (M24), pp.198-199. L 16.7 cm

WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY (CIRCA 1100-771 BC) The compressed globular body flanked by a pair of C-shaped handles issuing from rams head, boldly decorated in relief on each side with a taotie mask with large horns and protruding eyes in between two friezes of archaistic kui-dragons against a leiwen ground, further surmounted by a smaller animal mask in high relief at the top of a shallow flange below the lipped rim, the surface unevenly patinated and encrusted. H 15.5 cm

SHANG DYNASTY (13TH CENTURY BC) Comprising of two sections, the deep bell-shaped body encircled with a frieze of archaistic zoomorphs below the slightly flared mouth rim surmounted by two upright loop handles, the lower section crisply cast with three bovine taotie masks with protruding eyes and curling horns in raised relief, supported on three cylindrical feet, the interior with a grill hinged pierced with five cross-shaped apertures, the patina of a mottled brown-green and cuprite red with patches of encrustation. H 29.5 cm

WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY (CIRCA 1100-771 BC) Of slender form rising to a wide trumpet neck, the slightly bulbous central section cast with two taotie masks in low relief centered on a shallow flange, the splayed foot encircles by a pair of confronting archaistic kui dragons in profile, the surface mottled with green patina and azurite encrustation overall. H 28.5 cm

TANG DYNASTY The square shaped mirror cast in high relief with a recumbent lion knob encircled by four other crouching lions in the cardinal directions amidst leafy grapevines, the outer field with birds amidst similar grape vines and floral sprigs, the bronze of a silvery patina with areas of malachite encrustation. H 11 cm

QING DYNASTY Modeled with bulging eyes and pointed canines below a crown of skeletal heads, dressed in a flowing scarf and skirt with traces of pigment, holding a skull cup and various other attributes as the deities dance with one leg bent and the other standing on an auspicious conch above its pedestal. In essence, Cittipati are often referred to as the lords of the funeral pyre and the Tibetans regard them us benevolence deities. According to their belief system, the connotation behind a skeleton may not be entirely negative, as death entices one to contemplate upon the concept of impermanence and simultaneously prelude the cycle of reincarnation. The rarity of the present lot predicates upon the meticulous details of the figures elaborate headdress and drapery, which are connotative of the prestigious status of the dancing deities. According to popular Tibetan folklore, the Cittipati performs the Tsan dance on the cremation ground and this is an important subject matter often depicted on the monastery paintings in Lhasa and other sacred Tibetan art. For instance, it is depicted in an important Yama-offering thangka (Fig.1). The two skeletons, presumably Citipati, dance as they circumambulate the choten. Compare with two other thankas featuring the two deities and dated to the Qianlong reign (Fig. 2 and 3), currently residing at the National Palace Museum, illustrated in Thangkas of the Palace Museum, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 42 and pl.43, pp. 48-49. H 39.5 cm

TANG DYNASTY Modeled in a serene expression with eyes set in a concentrated, thoughtful gaze, surmounted by an official's hat moulded with a bird in relief with traces of red enamel, its hands clasped in the front of its chest, wearing a court belt visible from the reverse, raised on pieced pedestal with the toes of its shoe emerging from beneath the hems of the robe. H 74.5 cm

QING DYNASTY Of pear form rising to a slight flared cylindrical neck toppled with a domed cover decorated with a band of archaistic animals underneath a lopped finial, the bulbous body further adorned with a band of lappets, flanked by a pair of animal heads suspending a twisted handle. This form of the vessel is modeled after archaic bronze prototype from the Western Zhou period (Fig.1). Compare with another vessel of similar form and decorative motif, illustrated Chinese Bronzes, London, 1980, pl. 52, pp.74-74 and another illustrated in Art & Imitation in China, the oriental ceramic society of Hong Kong, pl.30, p.143. H 21.3 cm

QING DYNASTY Lightly-hollowed and worked as a leaf with incurring edges, the exterior with shallow-relief veining issuing from a stem with further leafy greens and blossoming florets and pods, all extending to the underside in high relief, the interior with an insect clambering up towards the stem, the stand of buff caramel tone rendered in the form a gnarled branch. H 3 cm, stand.

QING DYNASTY Finely incised with a groove above and below the opening, the central panel carved in openwork with a seated scholar under the shade of banana leaves next to ornamental rock works. D 5.5 cm

LATE QING Of rectangular form rising to the upper tray from four conical foots, bordered by an intricate networks of interlacing bamboo on the three sides. H 37.5 cm

EARLY QING The exterior carved in openwork with veining and branches on the sides of the body with the three friends of winter featuring blossoming prunus blossoms, bamboo and pine trunks in high relief. H 7.2 cm, stand.

QING DYNASTY The cylindrical bitong finely carved in high relief with two bearded scholars, one of which holding a walking cane behind the gnarled branch of a pine, with another three scholars nestled in a terraced lush garden setting engaging in leisurely pursuits, one leaning on a stack of brocade books, the others with a scroll in their lap and holding a brush, two attendants appear next to them holding a qi, all amidst pine trees and rock works. H 15.5 cm

LATE MING The cylindrical bitong finely carved in relief with three bearded scholars playing chess with another scholar standing in the shade of the pine nearby, two attendants appear next to them holding a qi, all amidst pine trees and rock works. H 14.4 cm

QING DYNASTY Of long rectangular form, the convex side is decorated with a recumbent horse. H 23.5 cm, stand.

18TH CENTURY The scepter naturalistically worked in imitation of a stem of lingzhi fungus with an auspicious ruyi-shaped terminal, the wood of a rich caramel tone. Compare with a very similar ruyi sold in Sotheby's Hong Kong, 20 May 2005. L 38.5 cm

QING DYNASTY Of slender cylindrical form, tapering at the tip and modeled in imitation of a gnarled tree branch, with a Chen ming yuan mark on one end. L 14.8 cm

QING DYNASTY Of elegant hu-form with canted corners and a conforming foot, flanked by a pair of tubular handles on the neck, covered overall in an attractive pale celadon glaze. H 10.5 cm, stand.