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Lot Essay
Burlwoods were commonly used for scholar’s objects and were chosen for their richly textured surface. The simple and restrained form of the brush pot, boxes, and seal chests, were the ideal objects to showcase the highly patterned and variegated colours inherent to burl. The present example is notable for its unusually large size and the its use of material. Large sections of burl are difficult to source, as the tightly knotted grain is susceptible to splits and breaks, making this elegant seal chest even more rare.
Compare a smaller zitan seal chest (36 cm. high) of similar proportions and also with a cover, illustrated in Feast by a Wine Table Reclining on a Couch: The Dr. S.Y. Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture III, Hong Kong, 2007, pp. 192-3, pl. 70. See, also, a zitan seal chest with canted top and metal fittings, formerly in the Lai Family Collection, sold at Christie’s New York, 17 September 2015, lot 936.
Compare a smaller zitan seal chest (36 cm. high) of similar proportions and also with a cover, illustrated in Feast by a Wine Table Reclining on a Couch: The Dr. S.Y. Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture III, Hong Kong, 2007, pp. 192-3, pl. 70. See, also, a zitan seal chest with canted top and metal fittings, formerly in the Lai Family Collection, sold at Christie’s New York, 17 September 2015, lot 936.