A rare doucai 'dragon and phoenix' double-gourd vase, Qing dynasty, 18th century | 清十八世紀 闘彩龍鳳紋葫蘆瓶

It is extremely rare to find doucai double-gourd vases decorated with dragon and phoenixes, although the motif can be found on meiping-shaped vases, including one sold in these rooms, 5th November 1977, lot 246; another sold in our London rooms, 12th June 1990, lot 341. A doucai meiping, also decorated with similar design, attributed to the Yongzheng period, was included in the Catalogue of the International Exhibition of Chinese Art 1935-6, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1935, cat. no. 2177.