Lot 435. A mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquer 'figure' octagonal box and cover, Yuan-Ming Dynasty (1279-1644); w. 32 cm, 12 5/8  in. Estimate 80,000 - 120,000 HKD. Lot sold 325,000 HKD (37,035 EUR). Courtesy Sotheby's.

of octagonal form with three tiers, the cover finely inlaid with a scene of three scholars riding on horseback in a courtyard of a pavilion, the sides inlaid with eight horizontal bands containing lobed cartouches on each facet enclosing scenes with scholars engaging in various leisure activities.

Provenance: Collection of Kuki Shuzo (1888-1941; box inscription)

Note: A closely related mother-of-pearl-inlaid octagonal covered box, formerly owned by Edward T. Chow and later entered the Lee family collection, was included in the exhibition East Asian Urushi Lacquer Work with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay, Tokugawa Art Museum, Nagoya, 1999, cat. no. 4, sold twice at Christie's, first in London, 14th July 1980, lot 334, and again in Hong Kong, 1st December 2009, lot 1823. 

Sotheby's. CHINA / 5000 YEARS, Hong Kong, 05 June 2020