The vase is painted with hundred colorful butterflies separated by a gilt-bordered band of lotus sprays and gilt stylized character Xi (happiness) on the shoulder. Hundred is a metaphor of the amount. Butterflies are a symbol of longevity and happiness. Guangxu Mark is written on the bottom. Width:23cm, Height:39.5cm, Literature comparison: Similar vases can be seen the illustrations in Imperial Porcelain of late Qing from the Kwan Collection, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Art Gallery, Hong Kong, 1983, p.133, no.140; by G. Avitabile, From the Dragon’s Treasure: Chinese Porcelain from the 19th and 20th Centuries in the Weishaupt Collection, London, 1987, p.91, no.126. Auction result comparison: Compare closely related vases, also dated to the same period and appearance, at Christie’s London in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 6th November 2012, lot5889, realised price or 22,500 GBP. Provenance: Private estate collection from Toshio Nomura. Toshio Nomura (1930-2014) was a Japanese businessman in Kansai area and a private collector. His maternal grandfather, Hisashi Ueno, began working at the Tianjin Concession Consulate in 1913. During his 27 years in China, he collected a large number of Chinese works of art, with a wide range of interests, particularly in porcelain and metal pieces. WALNUT TREE AUCTION HOUSE provides condition reports as a courtesy to our clients and assumes no liability for any error or omission. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, and is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Descriptions are our opinions and should in no way be construed as a guarantee of any kind as to age, condition, mater.