A Chinese famille verte wine cooler. Kangxi period
Of cylindrical shape standing on a short spreading foot, enameled and gilt on each side with a bird perched on flowering peony between two butterflies in flight below pale yellow animal-mask handles over a green fish-roe band with phoenix and peony
This model is illustrated in A tale of Three Cities, Canton, Shanghai and Hong Kong – Three Centuries of Sino-British Trade in the Decorative Arts, Sotheby’s London, 1997, no. 106.