Page 97 - Bonhams, Roger Keverne Moving on Part 1 May 11, 2021 London

148
A CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER FOUR-TIERED BOX AND
COVER
Late Ming Dynasty
Of hexagonal form, the cover finely carved with a scholar and his
attendant carrying a qin approaching a pavilion, the sides with
alternating scenes of scholars and various floral blooms, the interiors
and base lacquered black, Japanese wood box.
13.2cm (5 1/5in) high. (6).

£3,000 - 5,000
CNY27,000 - 45,000
Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價

明晚期 剔紅庭院高士圖四層六方蓋盒

See a related four-tiered hexagonal box and cover, but with a design
of Budai, Ming dynasty, illustrated by D.Clifford, Chinese Carved
Lacquer, London, 1992, p.61, pl.37. See also related examples
illustrated in Carved Lacquer in the Collection of the Palace Museum,
Beijing, 1985, nos.93 and 94.

Compare with a related rectangular cinnabar lacquer four-tiered box
and cover, 16th century, with Budai, which was sold at Sotheby’s
London, 10 May 2017, lot 153.

148

149
A CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER OVIFORM ‘LYCHEE’ BOX AND
COVER
16th century
Well carved around the exterior with a band of fruiting lychee branches
reserved on a flowerhead-diaper ground, all between narrow lappet
and key-fret bands at the foot and rim, the domed cover similarly
decorated, the interior and base lacquered black, Japanese wood box.
12cm (4 3/4 in) high. (3).
£800 - 1,200
CNY7,200 - 11,000

Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價

十六世紀 剔紅荔枝紋圓蓋盒

Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: Roger Keverne Ltd., Winter
Exhibition, London, 2012, no.102

展覽著錄：Roger Keverne Ltd.，《冬季展覽》，倫敦，2012年，
編號102

The word ‘lychee’ (lizhi 荔枝) is homophonous with ‘establishing a son’
(lizi 立子), and symbolises progeny.

The barrel shape of the box is unusual as typical lacquer lychee boxes
and covers have straight sides. Compare with a domed box and cover
and three straight-sided boxes with similar lychee motif in the Linden
Museum, Stuttgart, illustrated by M.Kopplin, Im Zeichen des Drachen,
Stuttgart, 2006, nos.55 and 61. A pair of carved cinnabar lacquer
bowls with similar motif of lychees on a diaper ground between lappet
149 and key-fret bands, mid Ming dynasty, is illustrated in ibid., no.60.

Compare with a small cinnabar lacquer box and cover with a similar
motif of lychees, 16th/17th century, which was sold at Christie’s New
York, 16-17 September 2010, lot 1417.

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