Lot 3151. A cinnabar-lacquer 'Nine dragon' box, mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 28.2 cm., 11 cm. Estimate 700,000 — 900,000 HKD. Lot Sold 1,340,000 HKD. Courtesy Sotheby's.

the top of the domed cover finely carved with an en face five-clawed dragon encircling a 'flaming pearl' reserved on a dense ground of swirling waves and flames, encircled around the sides with four dragons in profile all in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl' against a continuous wave ground, the base similarly decorated with four further dragons in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl',  all supported on a key-fret foot,  the interior of the cover carved with the four characters Jiu long bao he ('Nine Dragon Box'), and the interior of the base with the six-character reign mark, all picked out in gilt against a black lacquered ground.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 april 2011