QIANLONG FOUR-CHARACTER SHELL-INLAID MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)

细节

A RARE MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID INGOT-SHAPED BOX AND COVER
QIANLONG FOUR-CHARACTER SHELL-INLAID MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)
The finely inlaid cover with a landscape scene in which a peacock perched in a pine tree growing from jagged rockwork looks down at a dragonfly in flight beside large sprays of iris in the foreground, the rim of the box and cover both inlaid with a continuous diaper band, the interior of the box with a cluster of lingzhi, the interior of the cover inlaid with a design of three symbols likely representing rhinoceros horns
2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm.) long, box

来源

Previously sold at Christie's London, 4 December 1995, lot 340

荣誉呈献

Aster Ng

查阅状况报告或联络我们查询更多拍品资料

ang@christies.com +852 2978 9955

登入

浏览状况报告

拍品专文

Qianlong-marked examples of lac burgaute wares are exceedingly rare. It is rare to find reign marks on mother-of-pearl inlaid boxes although some examples can be found with a maker's mark of Qian Li, denoting Jian Qianli, who specialised in inlaid lacquer and was known to have been active during the early Qing dynasty. Another Qianlong-marked mother-of-pearl inlaid box and cover of quatre-lobed form was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 7 July (catalogue dated 28 April) 2003, lot 536; and a Qianlong-marked ruyi-shaped box was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3579.

The unusual form of this box and cover is based on a silver ingot, a tradable currency during the Ming and Qing periods. Its shape may have its origin in early lacquer wares. See Hai-Wai Yi-Zhen: Chinese Art in Overseas Collections: Lacquerware, National Palace Museum, Taiwan, 1987, p. 39, no. 39, for a Song dynasty example of similar form but decorated with a lotus scroll.