Lot 76. An extremely rare large cinnabar lacquer 'flowers' scroll-rest. Early Ming Dynasty, 15th century; 62.3cm long (2). Estimate HK$ 2.5 million - 4 million (€240,000 - 380,000). Sold for HK$ 5,320,000 (€ 631,079). Photo: Bonhams.

The long top with two concave rounded recessions for placing scrolls, each deeply carved through layers of red lacquer depicting exquisite naturalistic flower blooms borne on undulating leafy vines, including peony, camellia, gardenia, pomegranate blossom, hibiscus, chrysanthemum, and peach blossom, with a narrow band of lingzhi scrolls in the middle, the sides similarly decorated and the large concave base also carved with further large blooms, Japanese wood box. 

Provenance : Mr Kenzo Hasegawa (1886-1957), founder of the Kaisendo Museum, circa 1950
Kaisendo Museum, Yamagata.

Note: The style of carving as seen on the current lot is typical of the early Ming period where the textures of the stems, leaves and flower heads are depicted in a lively manner, with subtle folds and curled edges. Such detailing gives a further sense of movement and vigour. Compare similarly-carved peonies blossoms on a dish, Yongle period, in the Palace Museum Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Lacquer Wares of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, Hong Kong, 2006, pp.54-55, pl.36. For comparable chrysanthemums on a lacquer dish, 15th century, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Carving the Subtle Radiance of Colors, Treasured Lacquerware in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1997, p.36, pl.17, is also very similarly carved.

The present scroll-rest joins a rare group of lacquer wares in which floral design on the main decorative surface is rendered with various flowers rather than just a single one. Carved cinnabar lacquer boxes and dishes with floral decoration, dated to the early Ming period in the National Palace Museum, illustrated in ibid, pp.24-45, pls. 17-26, are all carved only with a single species of flower. A comparable very rare box and cover decorated with various flower types, but Hongwu period (1368-1398), was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, Important Chinese Lacquer from the Lee Family Collection, Part III, 28 November 2012, lot 2092.

Lacquer scroll rests are very rare. A carved cinnabar lacquer scroll rest, but with only one tray and decorated with peonies, is in the Muwen Tang collection, illustrated by Simon Kwan, Chinese Lacquer, Hong Kong, 2010, p.176-177, pl.46. The current lot appears to be unique and is extremely rare in having two scroll-rest sections.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART. Hong Kong, Admiralty, 26 May 2014 14:00 HKT