A rare famille verte apothecary jar for the Russian market. Kangxi

A rare famille verte apothecary jar for the Russian market. Kangxi

Enamelled at the centre with a coronet above the Russian Imperial double-headed eagle holding a sceptre and a sword, with a central shield enclosing a stylised floral spray, encircled by a circular frame of a band of fruiting and flowering twisted branches, (rim reduced). 17.2cm (6¾in) high. Sold for £3,600

Footnote: Apothecary jars such as the present example are believed to have been produced for Tzar Peter I's (reigned 1682-1725) pharmacy in Moscow, which in 1710 is recorded to have been stocked with jars bearing the imperial Russian eagle. Jars of this type are indicative of the Russian aristocracy's interest in Chinese export porcelain.

A very similar jar is in the Franks Collection in the British Museum, illustrated by R. Krahl and J. Harrison-Hall, Ancient Chinese Trade Ceramics from the British Museum, London, Taipei, 1994, Catalogue no. 12.

A very similar apothecary jar from the Khalil Rizk collection was sold at Sotheby's New York, 25 April 2008, lot 1.

Bonhams. Chinese & other Asian Works of Art, 4 Mar 2009. Knightsbridge www.bonhams.com (Copyright © 2002-2009 Bonhams 1793 Ltd)