A very attractive and very decorative pair of Kangxi period Chinese export porcelain 12″ covered garniture vases of spiral molded form with panels of peony and prunus  decoration hand-painted in brilliant cobalt blue. Pairs and sets of vases such as these were highly sought-after in Europe at the time and were considered essential to any fashionable interior; Queen Mary of England herself encouraging the mania for blue and white with her collections at Kensington Palace.  Restoration to the finial of one vase, otherwise very good condition. Circa 1690.