This round bowl is of a beautiful orange-red colour and glassy texture, with flaring mouth. Rising from a ring foot is carved, in low relief, around the exterior a band of sinuous dragons above a dense pattern of C-curls, all below a lappet band. It is an exceptional piece for its beautiful natural colours and meticulous craftsmanship.
Agate is a mineral with beautiful patterns. Thanks to its hardness, varieties of colour, and translucency, it has long been regarded as a precious gemstone in Chinese culture, much favoured by the royal courts and wealthy people who turned it into accessories and works of art. However, agate is hard but crisp, making it difficult to be carved. As a result, there are not many agate carvings after the Warring States period and Han dynasty.

瑪瑙碗呈鮮橙紅色，圓形，撇口，圈足，外壁近口處淺浮雕一周龍紋，形象生動威武，腹部飾密鋪的卷雲紋，另於近足處飾一周花瓣紋。此碗打磨光滑，雕工細緻，甚為難得。
瑪瑙是一種通常具有顯著花紋的礦物。由於具堅硬耐磨、色彩斑斕、晶瑩剔透的特性，數千年來一直是深受人們喜愛的中國傳統寶石之一，並用來製作佩飾和工藝品。瑪瑙雖硬度高但性脆易裂，不容易在其上雕刻；故戰漢之後已很少瑪瑙雕刻品。

6.4cm high; 14.2cm mouth diameter; 5.1cm foot diameter