Following record sales of Chinese ceramics and art in Hong Kong in May, Christie's London Asian Art Week is set to offer a stunning array of sought-after works from the Middle Kingdom.

Among the exquisite and rare objects, some of which will be available for export, are a Qianlong imperial blue and white 'Nine Dragon' vase and a Qianlong imperial inscribed embroidered hanging scroll.

However, the highlight of the event starting on July 11 is said to be a magnificent blue and white fish jar from the Yuan Dynasty (1279 AD-1368 AD).

The main decorative band, which has been beautifully painted to achieve a richly-textured, perfectly balanced composition in a brilliant sapphire blue, depicts four fish swimming among lotus and other aquatic plants.

Naturalistic fish and aquatic plant imagery was applied to a wide variety of art disciplines during the Southern Song (1127 AD-1279 AD) Dynasty. The specific fish chosen for the decoration on Yuan jars of this type had a significant influence on imperial porcelain of succeeding periods.

Meanwhile, auctioneers estimate that the 'Nine Dragon' vase from the Qianlong period (1736 AD-1795 AD) will fetch between 300,000 and 400,000 pounds (540,000-720,000 U.S. dollars).

This exceptionally rare vase appears to be one of the only two known examples identical in size, shape and design.

The sale also features an important, large Qianlong imperial inscribed embroidered hanging scroll and a Tang Dynasty painting on silk from between the 7th and 9th century.

The Tang piece comes from the collection of Fred H. Andrews, author of the paper 'Ancient Chinese Figured Silks Excavated by Aurel Stein at the Ruined Sites of Central Asia'.

During Asian Art Week, a variety of Chinese textiles will also go under the hammer, including a special court robe worn at the most formal court celebrations from the mid-19th century. There will also be a selection of Japanese art.

Christie's is the world's leading auction house in the field of Asian art. In London in July 2005, a rare jar from the 14th century fetched 15.68 million pounds (27.68 million U.S. dollars),and became the most expensive work of Asian art ever sold.

Editor: Wing