A VERY RARE WUCAI PIERCED RECTANGULAR 'DRAGON' BOX AND COVER

Details

A VERY RARE WUCAI PIERCED RECTANGULAR 'DRAGON' BOX AND COVER
WANLI SIX-CHARACTER MARK WITHIN DOUBLE-RECTANGLES AND OF THE PERIOD (1573-1620)

Of rectangular form, the domed cover with a lobed diamond-shaped panel containing two five-clawed confronting dragons between a 'flaming pearl' amidst a composite floral-scroll ground, pierced with numerous small circular apertures, encircled by a band of pierced floral scrolls, the body similarly designed with confronting dragons striding in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl', supported on four bracket feet, the unglazed base centre with a glazed panel containing the underglaze-blue six-character mark within a double-rectangular frame
12½ in. (31.8 cm.) long, box

Provenance

A Japanese private collection, Kansai, acquired in the 1960's

Lot Essay

No other wucai rectangular pierced box of this decoration and size appears to be recorded. A box of very similar decoration and size but in blue and white is illustrated in Mayuyama, Seventy Years, Tokyo, 1976, vol. 1, p. 323, pl. 964; another close example of smaller size, the cover with floral decoration was sold at Christie's Los Angeles, 7 May 1999, lot 109.

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