Limited edition 500 copies. A magnificent publication of the private collection of early Chinese ceramics and Chinese furniture dating from the Ming dynasty to the 18th century amassed over a period of nearly 70 years by Emmanuel Christofides. Most of the ceramics date from the Song and Jin dynasties, but objects from the Han, Five Dynasties, Tang & Sui periods are also represented. Exquisite Chinese furniture, among which a rare mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquer kang table dating from the Ming dynasty, show the diversity of this collection. In total 60 objects are described in detail and illustrated. Of particular interest is the fact that the base of each item is illustrated in the back of the book and concluded with a complete list of where each object was purchased and, where known, the provenance is mentioned. Emmanuel Christofides is a passionate collector who purchased his first item in the 1950's in Alexandria. The elaborate introduction by the collector is a walk down memory lane and reflects the personal affection for the acquisition of the objects and the dealers he met over the years from whom he purchased. Each object is referred to as an old friend. When collecting in this modern era, purchasing from respected dealers and provenance is of the greatest importance and this is exactly what the collector has done over the years. Many pieces were acquired from C.T. Loo, Sparks, Spink & Son, Eskenazi and Priestley & Ferraro to name a few and often have wonderful provenances such as the George de Menasce, Arthur M. Sackler, Carl Kempe and C.T. Loo collections. A number have been exhibited at the OCS or published in books and catalogues.