A set of Qing tall footed plates in good or very good condition, bearing a Tongzhi mark. All plates are decorated in a vivid polychrome palette related to famille rose (fencai) with strong enamel colors and pronounced outlines, produced in a popular kiln tradition (minyao 民窑). 1. Plate with a cricket in a garden The central decoration features a lattice (trellis) pattern overgrown with flowering vines and blossoms, rendered in lively polychrome enamels (greens, pinks, blues, and iron-red outlines). Interspersed among the flowers appears a grasshopper or cricket, a motif associated in Chinese visual culture with vitality, seasonal change, and, in some contexts, auspicious connotations related to fertility and abundance. The lattice-and-flower composition evokes the aesthetics of a cultivated garden, a recurring theme in Qing decorative arts, symbolizing harmony between nature and human order. Such designs were popular in both domestic and export wares, especially in southern China. It has slightly brushed rim. 15,5 cm x 4,5 cm 2. Flower ball octagonal plate A small Chinese porcelain dish of octagonal form. The cavetto is filled with a symmetrical arrangement of roundels, each enclosing stylized floral or auspicious motifs rendered in bright enamels (pink, yellow, green, and turquoise). These medallions resemble abstracted blossoms or symbolic emblems, evoking the visual language of auspicious ornament rather than narrative imagery. Such compositions often allude to multiplicity, harmony, and abundance. The border is richly decorated with a continuous key-fret (leiwen) pattern in turquoise and yellow, interspersed with stylized cloud or ruyi motifs, reinforcing themes of good fortune and cosmic order. The use of saturated colors and compartmentalized design reflects decorative conventions popular in southern China, particularly Guangdong export and domestic wares of the 19th century. The plate was restored back in the 1970s. 16,5 cm x 4,5 cm 3. Triangular plate with a swallow A small dish in the *famille verte* palette, decorated with a charming genre scene depicting a swallow above the sea. This type of porcelain is characterized by vivid, saturated colors with a predominance of greens and yellows, typically arranged in vegetal or animal motifs. The motif of birds above the ocean or waves is one of the most recognizable themes in the Chinese decorative tradition, appearing both in high-quality wares (Qing dynasty, Kangxi period) and in later popular ceramics (19th–20th century). It is a motif rich in symbolic meaning, deeply rooted in Chinese cosmology, aesthetics, and literature. It brings together three cosmic realms—heaven, earth, and the intermediate space—corresponding to the classical triad *Tian–Di–Ren* (Heaven–Earth–Human). The bird represents freedom, transcendence, and longevity, while the waves symbolize the ceaseless movement of *qi*, prosperity, and the power of nature. Together, they form an image of a being rising above the adversities of fate. 10 cm x 1,5 cm 4. Triangular plate with butterflies Alright. A small dish approximately 150 years old, dating to the late 19th century, end of the Qing dynasty (1875–1908), Guangdong, China. The dish is decorated in the famille rose/fencai/ 粉彩 palette, adorned with delicate butterfly motifs. The butterfly motif in Chinese culture carries rich, multilayered symbolism. The Chinese word for butterfly, 蝴蝶 (húdié), has auspicious phonetic associations. The second syllable (dié) is sometimes linked to ideas of repetition, continuity, and endurance, which lends itself to interpretations connected with longevity and the stability of relationships. More broadly, butterflies most commonly symbolize lightness, love, and marital happiness. 10 cm x 1,5 cm