A fine and rare Ming red lacquer four-tiered hexafoil box and cover, China,  early Ming dynasty (1368-1644), early 15th century. Photo Nagel Auktionen

The box is deeply carved on the top over a thin diaper ground with different motifs for the earth and air. A scholar holds a fan, seated in a small pavilion below a tall pine tree and looking at a companion approaching with his attendant. The sides of the box are also deeply carved to a yellow lacquer ground with flowers of the seasons, camellia, flowering prunus branches, peony, hibiscus or pomegranate and chrysanthemums, above scrolling brackets on the slightly splayed foot; the base and interior are black lacquered, cloth bag and fitted box; aside from some shrinking cracks due to age on the border of the top and the sides of the tiers in good condition; h.: 17,3 cm, diam.: 12,3 to 12,5 cm.

Provenance: Private collection Rhineland, Germany, acquired at Christie's, London, 14-16 Dec. 1983, lot 25.

Compare: Sotheby's, Hong Kong, May 4 1994, lot 277, a four-tiered circular red lacquer box, deeply carved with a similar décor on the top and flowers of the seasons on the sides with a Xuande (1426-1435) six-character mark carved on the base and of the period, and with further references.

Nagel Auktionen. Asian Art, 2013/05/10. http://www.auction.de