清乾隆

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.