Christie's. IMPORTANT CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, Hong Kong, 30 november 2023
Ming dynasty Lacquerware sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 30 november 2023
Lot 2941. A carved polychrome lacquer 'Longevity' box and cover, Jiajing incised and gilt six-character mark and of the period (1522-1566); 31.8 cm diam. Price realised HKD 2,268,000 (Estimate HKD 800,000 – HKD 1,200,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2023.
Note: The choice of motifs on this box is in keeping with the Jiajing emperor's keen interest in Daoism and the attainment of immortality. This imagery is reinforced through symbols representing longevity such as the depiction of the lingzhi fungus, cranes and the Shou character.
A closely related box of nearly identical decoration and form but of slightly smaller size is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, and is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Lacquers Wares of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, Hong Kong, 2006, no. 137 (fig. 1). Another related example is a lacquer box and cover decorated with cranes and shou character from the Kaisendo Museum, Japan, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3574.
Lot 2942. An extremely rare cinnabar lacquer 'dragon' double-lozenge-shaped box and cover, Longqing incised and gilt six-character mark and of the period (1567-1572); 25.7 cm long. Price realised HKD 2,142,000 (Estimate HKD 1,200,000 – HKD 1,800,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2023.
Lot 2944. A large carved cinnabar lacquer 'Eighteen Scholars' bowl, Ming dynasty, 16th century; 24.7 cm diam. Price realised HKD 252,000 (Estimate HKD 200,000 – HKD 300,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2023.
Note: This continuous landscape scene most likely represents the gathering of eighteen erudite scholars who were specifically chosen by Emperor Taizong (626-649) to promote interests of culture and literature.
Lot 2945. A rare and inscribed tricolour carved lacquer box and cover, signed Wang Ming, Hongzhi period (1488-1505); 23.1 cm diam. Price realised HKD 1,260,000 (Estimate HKD 1,000,000 – HKD 1,500,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2023.