Fine Chinese porcelain vase, Qianlong six character mark, the yellow body with floral sprays, aubergine stylised handles above the bulbous body with two white ground panels depicting children in gardens playing, the base in turquoise blue and Qianlong six character mark in iron red, 38cm high. Provenance: by family descent, the vendor's maternal Scottish, Caithness "born-and-bred" grandfather - Missionary Professor Arthur Mowat purchased the vase in person from Calcutta for £8, where he lived for 21 years. He had a wife and 2 daughters. The vase was probably acquired in 1927 when he first went out to Calcutta as Head of the English Language Department in the Scottish Church College there, and 1939. He was sponsored by The Church Of Scotland, (having qualified as Honours Medallist in English Literature and Language in 1915 from Edinburgh University carrying off many prizes and awards.) So popular were his Calcutta classes that students came from other colleges to hear him. His newspaper obituary starts: " ... A Lybster man who became one of the most distinguished professors of English Literature the Scottish Church College Calcutta has ever seen, has died." On graduation in 1915 he first began his illustrious teaching career as principal teacher of English at Wick (Caithness, Scotland) High School where he quickly made his mark as a talented teacher and fine inspiration to his pupils, as well as a golfer and footballer. In 1939 he returned from India to New College Edinburgh with a view to entering the ordained ministry of the church; but he was drawn back to to the country - this time to Murray College in Sialkot - which later became part of Pakistan - where he quickly gained a reputation as an outstanding teacher of English. He also acted for some years as Bursar of the College and devoted considerable time to the Library. He retired to Turriff in Aberdeenshire Scotland where he spent the remainder of this life, completing short spells of teaching at various schools.