A curator at Sotheby's shows a pair of candlesticks before a 19th century painting depicting the landscape on Hong Kong Island, in London June 4, 2004. It will be auctioned as part of the Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on June 9.

A curator at Sotheby's shows a pair of candlesticks before a 19th century painting depicting the landscape on Hong Kong Island, in London June 4, 2004. It will be auctioned as part of the Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on June 9.

A visitor passes by a rare pair of Portuguese-Market armorial candlesticks in the Qing Dynasty (in the period of Emperor Kang Xi, 1662-1722)at Sotheby's in London June 4, 2004. The work has an estimate of 40,000 to 60,000 pounds (74,000 to 111,000 US dollars ) and will be auctioned as part of the Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on June 9.

A curator at Sotheby's shows a black and gray Imperial jade water buffalo in the late Ming/early Qing dynasty in London June 4, 2004. The work has an estimate of 300,000 to 500,000 pounds (555,000 to 925,000 US dollars) and will be auctioned as part of the Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on June 9.