Chinese Porcelain Gilt Handled Bowl

Chinese porcelain gilt handled bowl, finely potted with a white glazed interior, exterior and inset base, with copious gilt highlights. The tubular upper rim is finely potted and rolled over, not solid, and decorated on top with a band of polychrome fruits and flowers on a gold ground, and on the side by a band of pink floral medallions alternating with green vines on a gold ground, all bracketed by thin red trim lines. The short sides have finely formed, large, gilt handles within cartouches formed of polychrome bands of arches with alternating fruits and acanthus on a gold ground, that surround a garden scene of polychrome butterflies, dragonflies and bees amid a large peony bush. The long sides are decorated with large, ornate cartouches formed of polychrome bands of arches with alternating fruits and acanthus on a gold ground, with seven, finely drawn figures within an interior space. The long side cartouches are separated from the short side cartouches by a vertical band of green curling vines on a gold ground, capped by a polychrome butterfly. The decoration at the foot repeats that of the upper rim. The interior sides and bottom are decorated with finely drawn, polychrome fish, crab and shrimp amid lotus plants, seaweeds and other aquatic plants. A red, six character, Qianlong, reign mark in Zhuanshu script within double squares is glazed to the inner circle of the inset base. Circa Republic of China era.