CHINESE BLUE AND WHITE PORCELAIN ‘BAJIXIANG’ EWER, MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG, 18th CENTURY The pouring vessel modelled on the archaic bronze ‘He’, a ritual wine vessel. The globular body and diagonally set spout supported by four legs with a squat neck leading into a curved handle. Decorated with ‘Bajixiang’, the eight Buddhist emblems in order; flaming wheel, conch shell, umbrella, canopy, lotus, vase, double fish and endless knot above lotus sprays. All between lingzhi scrolls and a band of key fret decoration around the shoulder. The interior base of the spout has a single large opening which is typical of period ewers. The base with six-character mark of Qianlong in underglaze blue. Mark and period of Qianlong (1735-1796). Together with a hardwood cover and stand with carved Yin-Yang emblem. Ewer size without stand and cover, 24cm length x 17.7cm tall Reference: National Palace Museum, Catalogue, Blue and White Wares of the Ch’ing Dynasty, vol. II, pl. 21. Similar covered ewers were sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong on 3rd April 2019, Lot 3635 and more recently in Christie’s London on 3rd November 2020, Lot. 174. Provenance: Private English collection of Sir Mark Heath KCVO CMG (1927-2005), and thence by descent.