Moon Flask with the Eight Auspicious Symbols

CHINA; Qing dynasty

An inscription in seal script on the bottom denotes that this moon flask was created during the rule of Emperor Qianlong (reigned 1736–1795) of the Qing dynasty.
The flask is made of porcelain with an underglaze in cobalt blue. It stands on a foot decorated with an intertwining vine design, and at the center, there is a floriated emblem surrounded by a key pattern. Eight lotus petals radiate outward from the center, each containing one of the eight auspicious symbols: a conch, a victory banner, a Dharma wheel, a parasol, a lotus, a vase, two golden fish, and an eternal knot. A key design decorates the border surrounding the petals, as well as the neck, which is also adorned with intertwining vines. Two decorative handles connect the middle of the neck with the body of the flask.