Page 93 - Christies Fine Chinese Works of Art March 2016 New York

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A MOTHER-OF-PEARL-INLAID BLACK LACQUER BOX AND A BROWN LACQUER CIRCULAR BOWL STAND, ZHANTUO
COVER SONG DYNASTY (AD 960-1279)
MING DYNASTY, 16TH-17TH CENTURY
The cup stand has a hollow, splayed circular foot, supporting a
The top of the cover is embellished in mother-of-pearl with Shoulao circular fange with gently upturned edges, encircling the plain
seated on a crane, and the vertical sides of both cover and box with globular receptacle that rises to an incurved rim, the whole covered
cash diaper pattern. The interiors are coated with red lacquer and the with lacquer of rich brownish-black color. The rims are bound with
base is coated with black lacquer. metal.

3 in. (7.8 cm.) diam. 6 in. (15 cm.) wide

$6,000-8,000 $8,000-10,000

A similar box and cover dated Ming dynasty, is illustrated in Chinese Ancient The function of the bowl stand is very similar to that of a saucer. As steaming
Arts in the Idemitsu Collection, Tokyo, 1989, pl. 393. See, also, another Ming bowls of tea had no handles, they were placed on stands when served, so as
dynasty example illustrated in East Asian Urushi Lacquer Work with Mother- not to burn the fngers of the recipient, and also to provide a stable support
of-Pearl Inlay, The Tokogawa Art Museum, Nagoya, 1999, no. 35. for bowls, which often have narrow bases. A related example of a plain brown
明十六/十七世紀 黑漆嵌螺鈿仙人騎鶴圖圓盒 lacquer bowl stand, supported on a slightly higher foot ring, from the Yixing
district, Jiangsu province, is illustrated in Zhongguo Meishu Quanji, vol. 8,
Lacquerware, Beijing, 1989, no. 93.
宋 褐漆盞托

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