The Taber family tianqiuping. [Photo provided to China Daily]

During the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong (1711-99), imperial kilns produced many porcelain pieces which featured a combination of complicated techniques and sophisticated patterns.

One of those pieces is a globular tianqiuping vase, now in the collection of the Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The vase was gifted to the museum in 1960 and has since then been a part of its core collection of Chinese art.

But, the museum now plans to sell the vase, and use the proceeds to expand its collection.

The vase will be previewed in Hong Kong from March 31 to April 4, and then be auctioned on May 30 during Christie's major spring sales in Hong Kong.