Christie's Hong Kong displayed prized imperial Chinese ceramics and works of art that will be on sale in its spring auctions in a media preview?on Wednesday.

Christie's Spring auction Imperial Sale and Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Sale will take place on May 29. They include myriad of rare and splendid Chinese porcelain, works art and jade carvings made for the Imperial court, as well as exquisite pieces ranging from Longquan celadon ceramics to important lacquer and cloisonne wares.

A pair of famille rose peach bowls from the Yongzheng period (1723-1735), estimated 30 million HK dollars (about 3.85 million U.S. dollars), represents the highly desired collectors' pieces amongst the Qing dynasty polychrome ceramics on offer.

The bowls rank among the masterpieces of the overglaze enameled porcelain from the Chinese Imperial kilns. Each bowl is decorated with luscious peaches growing on branches that extend from the exterior, rising from just above the foot ring the branches emerge over the mouth rim and grow into the interior cavetto. This continuous painting technique on ceramics reached a peak in the Yongzheng reign in terms of superb enameling quality.

Also featured at the preview is an important gilt-incised lacquered "dragon" throne from the Kangxi period (1662-1772) that is expected to realize in excess of 12 million HK dollars (about 1.53 million U.S. dollars).

Equally noteworthy is an Imperial yellow embroidered "twelve-symbol dragon" robe from the Qianlong period (1736-1795) with an estimated price 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 HK dollars (about 390,000 to 510,000 U.S. dollars).

Finely couched in gold and silver tread with nine contorted five-clawed dragons clutching "flaming pearls," it is further embodied with 12 Imperial symbols including mountains, flames and mountains. The entire combination of these motifs, when used together, was exclusively reserved for the Emperor, signifying The Ruler of the Universe.

(Xinhua News Agency May 10, 2007)