The thickness of the cinnabar lacquer applied to both the box and cover is of particular note; it enabled the carver to render differing levels of depth so that in some areas the complicated pattern gives the impression of having three layers. Two similar Yongle-marked circular boxes of this same size are in the National Palace Museum collection, Taipei, and both were included in the exhibition, Qi, 'Lacquerware', 1981, are illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 9, designed with a dense pattern of hollyhock; and no. 10, with camellia flowers.

Boxes of this type with varying thicknesses of cinnabar lacquer in the Beijing Palace Museum collection are illustrated in Lacquer Wares of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Commercial Press, Hong Kong, 2006, pp. 70-77, nos. 48-54; all variously carved to include plum blossoms, camillia, interlocking lotus blossoms, peach blossoms, lotus flowers and lychees.