Cf. a lac-burgauté box and cover, illustrated by Hugh Moss, Arts From the Scholar's Studio, no. 144, pp. 168-169, where the author explains that the main material for lac-burgauté wares are iridescent abalone shell, which can be blue, green or purple in colour, as well as gold and silver foil set on a lacquer ground. The arrangement of the enormous amounts of tiny pieces of shell and foil requires remarkable artistic control on the artist's part which is evident on the present lot where every panel is different. The predominate material on each face seems to be gold foil paired with green, blue or purple shell.

(US$11,000-13,000)