Lot 323. A rare Tianqi and Qiangjin lacquer rectangular cabinet, Late Ming Dynasty; 39.5cm (15 1/2in) wide x 23cm 9in) deep x 40cm (15 6/8in) high. Estimate £15,000 - 20,000 (€18,000 - 24,000). Photo: Bonhams.

The cabinet with a detachable front panel concealing a shelf; the top, rear, two sides and front panels each carved through layers of red and black lacquer with a barbed cartouche enclosing magpies hovering over convoluted and pitted rocks issuing sprigs of blossoming lotus flowers and peonies, the base decorated with a vine and lotus scroll border band of lotus petals.  

Note: Lacquer chests of similar design and dating to the Ming dynasty are rare. Compare a similarly-shaped lacquer cabinet, Ming dynasty, engraved with polychrome dragon and phoenix designs, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, illustrated by N.De Bisscop in Chinees Lakweerk, Zutphen, 1982, p.92, fig.102. Another cabinet, decorated with dragons and phoenixes, Jiajing mark and of the period, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Lacquer Wares of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, Shanghai, 2006, pp.202-203, no.160. A third related chest of similar form decorated with red, green, ochre and brown phoenix design, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 29 November 2016, lot 26.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART, 11 May 2017, 11:00 BST, LONDON, NEW BOND STREET