A RARE PAIR OF CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER QUATREFOIL BOXES AND COVERS

PROPERTY FROM THE DEXINSHUWU COLLECTION

Details

A RARE PAIR OF CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER QUATREFOIL BOXES AND COVERS
QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

Each box of elongated form with four lobes, deeply carved on the cover with three dragons leaping from turbulent waves in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl', framed by a quatrefoil key-fret border repeated on the rims and foot ring, the sides of the box and cover carved with waves, the base and interior with black lacquer (minor extremity nicks)
12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm.) wide (2)

Lot Essay

An identical pair of boxes is in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Zhongguo Qiqi Quanji, vol. 6, 1993, pl. 222; and a single box was sold in our London Rooms, 11 December 1989, lot 273. Compare also two circular boxes carved with similar decoration of dragons amidst waves, illustrated in Carved Lacquer in the Collection of the Palace Museum, 1985, pls. 310 and 311.

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