A RARE LARGE DATED MOTHER-OF-PEARL-INLAID BLACK LACQUER TRAY

A RARE LARGE DATED MOTHER-OF-PEARL-INLAID BLACK LACQUER TRAY
WANLI WUCHEN GILDED INSCRIBED CYCLICAL DATE, CORRESPONDING TO 1580, AND OF THE PERIOD
The shallow tray is inlaid in the interior with a large flowering and budding peony stem surrounded by four further flower stems below four additional flower sprays within cartouches separated by florets in the rounded sides, which are decorated on the exterior with further flower sprays separated by butterflies above small flower sprays on the foot. The gilt-filled inscribed eight-character cyclical mark is in a line in the center of the red-lacquered base.
19 ½ in. (49.5 cm.) diam.