A fine and rare late Ming blue and white rectangular 'dragon' covered box. Wanli six-character mark within double-rectangles and of the period (1573-1619). Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

Of rectangular form with canted corners, decorated in vibrant tones of cobalt-blue to the cover with a rectangular panel enclosing two five-clawed dragons in mutual pursuit of a 'flaming pearl' amidst cloud swirls and above rolling waves crashing against rockwork, the rounded sides of the box and cover with stylised peony scrolls and Precious Emblems at the eight corners, the rims encircled by keyfret bands; 9 3/8 in. (23.9 cm.) wide, Japanese wood box  Estimate HK$1,000,000 - HK$1,500,000. Price Realized HK$980,000 ($126,714)

Provenance: A Japanese private collection

Notes: Boxes of this pattern include one in the Illustrated Catalogue of the Tokyo National Museum. Chinese Ceramics, vol. II, Japan, 1990, no. 108; one in the Lauritzen Collection, Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm, illustrated in Oriental Ceramics, Kodansha Series, vol. 8, Japan, 1982, pl. 245; one included in the Exhibition of Yuan and Ming Ceramics, The Japan Ceramic Society, Tokyo, 1956, illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 163; and another sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 November 2004, lot 1090 but few examples exhibit the vibrancy and definition in the cobalt blue found on the present box and cover.

A fine and rare late Ming blue and white rectangular pierced rectangular covered box. Wanli six-character mark within double-rectangles and of the period (1573-1619). Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

Of rectangular form standing on bracket feet, the pierced cover finely painted in vibrant purplish-blue tones with a large shaped cartouche containing lotus blooms supporting the bajixiang borne on scrolling stems, all reserved on a diaper ground with lingzhi sprays at each corner, the sides of the box and cover with pairs of confronted five-clawed dragons in pursuit of 'flaming pearls' bordered by bands of classic scroll at the rims; 10 1/8 in. (25.5 cm.) wide, box. Estimate HK$300,000 - HK$400,000 ($38,804 - $51,738). Price Realized HK$680,000 ($87,924)

Notes: Compare with a Wanli-marked box of the same size and identical design from the Raoul Wallenberg Collection included in the exhibition, Ming Dyansty Blue and White, Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm, 1964, illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 69. A rectangular wucai decorated box of the same size and design was sold at Christie's New York, 7 May 1999, lot 109. Another very similar wucai decorated example is illustrated in Sekai toji zenshu, Tokyo, 1955, vol. 11, no. 117

A Wanli-marked blue and white pierced circular sweetmeat box of related design with bands of dragons encircling a central roundel containing lotus and Buddhist emblems was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 7 July 2003 (Catalogue dated 28 April 2003), lot 652.

Christie's. Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 1 December 2010, Hong Kong www.christies.com