A CHINESE BLUE AND WHITE 'DRAGON AND PHOENIX' VASE, CHINA, QING DYNASTY (1644-1911)

With a rectangular baluster body rising from a splayed foot to a waisted neck and flared rim, the neck flanked by a stylised archaistic animal handle detailed in shaded tones of cobalt with archaistic scrollwork and surmounted by a spiralled knop, each of the main sides decorated with a ferocious dragon with outstretched claws and a scaly body coiling sinuously around a 'flaming pearl', the two shorter sides decorated with two meticulously rendered phoenix, precisely and delicately detailed with fine plumage and long billowing tail feathers, all between a key-fret band and an upright lappet border encircling the lower neck and body respectively, below four stylised bats and a pendent lappet frieze encircling the neck and rim, all against a ground of ruyi cloud scrolls, the foot skirted by a further pendent lappet border, the base inscribed with a six-character Qianlong seal mark. 38.5 cm.