Blue-white porcelain teapot, China for Vietnam, 19th century The spherical body is decorated in blue underglaze with two Mandarin ducks on a pond surrounded by flowers, lotus leaves and an insect. The neck features a lingzhi-shaped frieze of ruyi heads. The slightly domed lid is adorned with the same decoration, surrounded by a frieze of Grecians. The handle is chiselled with scrolls and dragon heads at the junction with the porcelain. The handle, lid grip and rim, as well as that of the spout, are in silver. Under the base, a two-character mark fāng mào - 芳茂. Height: 15 cm Drilled to fix the silver mount. Small fels inside the lid, small scratches on the surface.

Composed of several subsidiaries, the Drouot Group is a major player in the art market. Hôtel Drouot, located in the heart of Paris, has been the world's largest public auction center since 1852. 15 salerooms are available to more than 70 auction houses. The emulation generated by an annual offer of 230,000 artworks from 21 major specialities - from Antiquity to street art - attracts some 3,000 visitors every day. The Group's digital platform, Drouot.com, offers digital sales - Live auctions (live broadcasting and participation in auctions), Online-only auctions (dematerialised auctions) and Buy Now sales (sales of lots at fixed prices). Nearly 2 million items are offered annually by 600 auction houses. Auction news is reported every week in La Gazette Drouot, the leading weekly magazine for the art market and culture published by Auctionspress.