Lot 195. A large qiangjin and tianqi-decorated lacquer rectangular ‘dragon’ box and cover, Wanli period (1573-1620), 23 in. (58.5 cm.) wide, box. Estimate HKD 200,000 - HKD 300,000 (USD 25,854 - USD 38,781). Price realised HKD 275,000 (USD 35,549) © Christie’s Images Limited 2017.

The cover has canted corners and is finely decorated in qiangjin andtianqi on the flat top with two five-clawed dragons contesting a flaming pearl, surrounded by breaking waves crashing againt moutain peaks, all against a red ground. The sides are decorated with pairs of confronting dragons against a yellow ground. The box stands on four bracket feet linked by shaped spandrels, and is similarly decorated around the sides with striding dragons, and around the feet with a continuous floral scroll. The interior and the base are lacquered black.

Note: Although the current box and cover appears to be unique, several other comparable boxes and covers are known and published, all with slightly different designs. A qiangjin and tianqi box (47.8 cm. wide) of similar form incised with a Wanli cyclical mark and decorated with two dragons centred around a shou character from the Lee Family collection is illustrated in Dragon and Phoenix - Chinese Lacquer Ware, The Lee Family Collection, Tokyo, 1990, no. 82, p. 190-191. Another (36.6 cm. wide), also with Wanli cyclical mark and decorated with two dragons centred on auspicious emblems, from the Palace Museum, is illustrated in Lacquer Wares of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, The Complete Collection of Treasures from the Palace Museum, Beijing, 2006, no. 177, pp. 224-225.

Christie's. The Pavilion Sale - Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 4 April 2017, Hong Kong