A very fine set of Chinese export porcelain figures depicting “The Eight Immortals”, a legendary group from Chinese mythology, revered by Taoists and throughout Chinese culture. Each Immortal’s power can be transferred to a vessel that can bestow life or destroy evil. The group here is depicted with a ninth character, their leader, Shou Lao, and they are all well-modeled with individual personalities and well-detailed, each holding his attribute and standing on matching plinths, all decorated in exuberant famille rose enamels. Many times these sets are made up of assembled characters, but given the consistency of design, decoration and matching plinths, we believe this to be an original complete group. In very good condition, each Immortal measuring 9″ tall and waiting to bestow life and destroy evil in your home. Last quarter of the 18th century, similar example sold in the Hodroff Collection at Christies, NY