A pair of tall blue-and-white porcelain 'dragoon' vases. Each of ovoid form, with short neck and everted lip, the low, domed cover having a blue knob. The sides are decorated in four bands, alternately, in reserve on a blue ground and painted on a white ground, with above the foot, lotus flowers in white on blue followed by formalised floral scrolls on white. The main band above depicts flying dragons on a blue ground among flower sprays; the shoulder band, white lotus sprays on blue in trefoil panels set on a ground of formal chrysanthemum scrolls; on the neck, a border of rising lambrequins. The cover repeats the design of the vase. The vases are supported on carved gilt-wood stands of later date.

It is recorded that early in the eighteenth century, the celebrated porcelain collector Augustus II ‘the Strong’ acquired a set of these vases from Frederick William I of Prussia (r.1713–40), Elector of Brandenburg, allegedly in exchange for a troop of dragoons: hence their designation as ‘soldier’ vases, ‘dragon’ vases or ‘dragoon’ vases.

Text adapted from Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen: Volume I.