Chinese Transitional blue and white porcelains

A Chinese Transitional blue and white vase. Chongzhen (1628-1643). Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010

Painted with a continuous scene of fern-grown rocks and mountains among swirling clouds, with four characters from the well-known semi-historical novel 'The Water Margin', firing flaw to the rim; 45.1 cm. high - Estimate €8,000 - €10,000

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of the Royal house of Hannover from the Schloss Marienburg.

Notes: The characters depicted are from the Ming dynasty novel Shuihu Zhuan, 'Water Margin'. It is the story of the bandit Song Jiang, a historical figure at the end of the Song Dynasty, and his fictitious 108 companions, who in the novel have all turned to banditry because of oppression by corrupt officials.

Two Chinese Transitional blue and white double-gourd vases. Mid 17th Century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010

Each painted to the lower section with a continuous scene of officials and figures in a garden landscape, the upper section with a scene of reclining figures, surmounted by upright stylised tulips at the slightly flaring neck, rim crack, rim chips; 34 cm. high (2) - Estimate €6,000 - €10,000

The Property of a Noble Collection

An associated pair of Chinese Transitional blue and white jars and covers. Mid 17th Century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010

Each painted to the barrel-shaped sides with a moonlit waterbank showing insects and birds amongst lotus and reeds, the short straight neck painted with a row of pendant stylised leaves, the domed cover with a peony-head, rim crack, frits; 25 cm. high (2) - Estimate €3,000 - €5,000

The Property of a Noble Collection

A Chinese Transitional blue and white 'kraak porselein' bowl. Mid 17th Century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010

The rounded sides painted to the interior with panels enclosing alternately a Dutch landscape with two Chinese figures conversing on a riverbank, Dutch houses in the distance, or flowers, divided by narrow vertical panels with stylised tulips, the exterior painted with similar landscape panels divided by flowers, chip, some frits; 22.4 cm. diam. Estimate €3,000 - €4,000

Christie's. The Decorative Arts Sale incl. Fine Paintings. 30 June - 1 July 2010. Amsterdam www.christies.com