A POWDER BLUE 'FIVE JUMPING CARPS' GINGER JAR AND COVER, QING China, 18th-19th century. Enameled in emerald-green, lime-yellow and aubergine and painted in iron-red and black above the glaze with a sublime depiction of four jumping silver carps on the body and the fifth on the lid. Double circle mark to base. Provenance: From the private estate of a long-time collector. Condition: Superb condition with only minor wear and firing irregularities. Weight: 2,454 g Dimensions: Height 26.5 cm The flying carp or silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) is native to China and a great swimmer and jumper. Researchers have observed them to jump up to 2.24 meters above the surface of the water with a leap angle of up to 70 degrees. They are quite capable of swimming upstream and leaping over large barriers in the water. According to tradition, a carp that could swim upstream and then leap the falls of the Yellow River at Dragon Gate (Longmen), would be transformed into a dragon. Therefore, the present motif, depicting five flying carps, which ultimately will transform into dragons, symbolizes significant success in the civil service examinations. Vases with this subject are found frequently and were produced from the Kangxi period onwards, but a ginger jar with this motif is quite rare. 粉藍釉"五鯉圖"蓋罐，清代 中國，十八至十九世紀。琺琅彩綠黃紫紅黑五彩描繪五條鯉魚。底座雙圈款。 來源：收藏家歷史悠久的私人遺產 品相：品相極好，僅有輕微磨損與燒製瑕疵 重量：2,454 克 尺寸：高26.5 厘米