Chinese Qing dynasty (1636–1912) porcelain vase. The neck of the vase is decorated with polychrome ornaments, hand-painted images of flowers, butterflies, and insects. The inside of the neck is also decorated with painted flowers. The body of the vase is painted with images of noblemen with servants among various landscapes. There is a hieroglyphic inscription on the bottom. Circa 1780. Provenance: Estate of Alex Lewyt, Manhattan vacuum cleaner inventor who died in 1998, and his wife, Elisabeth, an animal-welfare advocate who died in December. He was best known for the compact Lewyt vacuum cleaner, which had no dust bag and was designed not to cause interference. In the first eight years after his vacuum cleaner was introduced after World War II, Lewyt Corp. did a multi-million dollar business making such things as radar antennas and popcorn poppers.

Dimensions: H: 12 1/4 in.