Rare 19th century complete bathing set consisting of a wash basin and covered water bottle. The interior of the wash basin is decorated in the famille rose palette with four reserves of architectural settings featuring knife-wielding guards, attendants, beauties and scholars engaged in study, the arts, and the daily activities of the gentry class. The panels encircle a matching central medallion. Each vignette is surrounded by a gold keyfret motif border and is reserved on a densely patterned ground permeated with birds, butterflies, flowers, foliage and antiquities with heavy use of gilt highlights. The dense background extends along the top of the wide canted rim. Three sprays of peony accent the white porcelain exterior. The basin measures 16 ¼” in diameter. The depressed globular form covered water bottle is decorated in two similar panels set against a reserve which extends up the tall cylindrical neck. 14 ½”H. The set is in very good overall condition with minor flaws and slight wear to the gilt. There is a thin glaze chip to the underside of the bottle top and to the side of the basin (see enlargements 11 and 12). There are a few barely perceptible frits to the rim of the basin (enlargement 9). This type of bathing set is described and illustrated on pages 65-67 of Chinese Export Porcelain by Nancy, Peter and Herbert Schiffer, Schiffer Publishing, 1975.