LACQUER: JAPAN, EDO PERIOD (17TH CENTURY), MOUNTS: ENGLISH OR NORTH EUROPEAN, LATE 17TH/EARLY 18TH CENTURY

The 19th century handwritten label affixed to the inside of the lid clearly states that this box belonged to Queen Charlotte (d. 1818). Tantalisingly, although the anonymous sale of her Collection held at Christie’s in May 1819 lists extensive holdings of Japanese lacquer, Chinese and Japanese porcelain, silks and other oriental curiosities, there is no conclusive description - although it is just conceivable that the present box may correspond to lot 114, described as 'A small box and lid of the very precious raised gold Japan' sold in the anonymous sale of Queen Charlotte's effects, The Remaining Part of a Valuable Collection of Curiosities, comprising Carvings in Ivory, Trinkets, Coins, Porcelain and Furniture and Paintings by Van Huysum and Gainsborough held by Mr Christie at his Great Room, Pall Mall, Monday, May 24th, 1891. However, Queen Charlotte was the mother of 15 children – 13 of whom survived into adulthood – and so it is also entirely possible that this box could have been passed down to one of her descendants.