LONE JACK, MO. — A fantastic Moser jug with a Kakaimon dragon and lizard wended its way to become the pinnacle lot of Soulis Auction’s July 13 sale of a private 40-year collection from Denver, Colo., one of the largest and most significant collections of Ludwig Moser art glass ever offered at auction.

The exceptionally elaborate amberina glass jug with thick, lava-like applications around the rim and exhibiting fine bright gilding on its body, which served as a canvas for fanciful flying insects painted in raised enamels, rose from a $2/3,000 estimate to finish at $6,000, including buyer’s premium.

Its body profusely decorated in an all-over enamel relief pattern of winged insects and Moser’s stylized Japanese Kakaimon rose blossom motif among swirling leafy stems, the jug centered a mythical dragon-like beast in colorful enamels. The most striking feature of the 9¾-by-8-inch jug, however, was its hefty handle formed as an encircling lizard embellished with rich gilding, accented by red and gold enamels teeming with tiny white enamel beads.

“The Mile High Collection” dubbed for its quality as well as locale, offered 193 lots of which additional notable highlights will be featured in a follow-on review.