A rare lotus pond jar dating to the 15th century is to highlight a sale of Chinese art at Bonhams London on November 6 with a £400,000-600,000 ($658,636-987,954) estimate.

The piece bears the mark of the Chenghua emperor (1464-1487).

Ceramics from this period are highly sought after due, in part, to the exceptional clarity of the glaze, which was developed during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).

The lotus pond jar was executed in the mid to late 15th century

The typically understated design utilises Buddhist symbols, including butterflies and lotus flowers.

Colin Sheaf, head of Asian art at Bonhams, commented: "Three decades in the Chinese art trade does not entirely prepare you for an object like this.

"When I saw it for the first time, after years of storage, it had that certain something, that charisma of the truly spectacular object which creates a frisson of excitement in anyone who knows about Chinese porcelain.

"Its very simplicity is of course part of its charm, as this reflects the ambition of all great Chinese art."

New York's Asian Art Week takes place in mid-September.

Among the many sales taking place, Sotheby's will offer paintings and calligraphy from Zhang Daqian while Christie's will offer work from Shi Tao.

Check out our amazing range of antiques here.

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