A rectangular, black lacquered box with mother-of-pearl inlays, (luodian), China, late Ming (1368-1644) or early Qing dynasty (1644-1911), 16th-17th century. Photo Nagel

the two parts of the oblong box, bottom and cover, are on the outside mainly covered with black lacquer except of the red lacquered, in the long and short sides of bottom and cover inset panelswith fine bamboo basketry. The remaining black laquered surface are all decorated with a delicate pattern of small interlocked circles, enclosing tiny flowers with five petals, created by inlaid smalland very thin pieces of mother-of-pearl. On the top of the equally black lacquered cover are depicted with mother-of-pearl inlays a terrace with a pavillonwith two men looking at three children with toys approaching them. On the terrace and outside in the garden are growering a flowering peony bush, small maple trees and a willow tree. This garden scene is framed by a vignette, also made by small,inlaid pieces of cut mother-of-pearl; the insides of the cover and bottom part of the box are covered with red lacquer, and the outide of the base is black lacquered. Despite the quite numerous fallen off larger mother-of-pearl inlays of the garden scene on the cover and some damages at the boxes corners,it remains, finally,still a pleasant lacquer object tolook at and with an acceptable condition of preservation. 7,4x22x26,7 cm. Estimate 8 000 - 10 000 €.

Property of an European private collection.

Nagel. "Asiatische Kunst". 8.5.2014 - http://www.auction.de/