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AN EXQUISITE AND RARE PAIR OF MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID BLACK LACQUER BOXES AND COVERS 18th century, inscribed and attributed to the Jiang Qianli Workshop (5) image 1
AN EXQUISITE AND RARE PAIR OF MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID BLACK LACQUER BOXES AND COVERS 18th century, inscribed and attributed to the Jiang Qianli Workshop (5) image 2
AN EXQUISITE AND RARE PAIR OF MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID BLACK LACQUER BOXES AND COVERS 18th century, inscribed and attributed to the Jiang Qianli Workshop (5) image 3
AN EXQUISITE AND RARE PAIR OF MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID BLACK LACQUER BOXES AND COVERS 18th century, inscribed and attributed to the Jiang Qianli Workshop (5) image 4
Thumbnail of AN EXQUISITE AND RARE PAIR OF MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID BLACK LACQUER BOXES AND COVERS 18th century, inscribed and attributed to the Jiang Qianli Workshop (5) image 1
Thumbnail of AN EXQUISITE AND RARE PAIR OF MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID BLACK LACQUER BOXES AND COVERS 18th century, inscribed and attributed to the Jiang Qianli Workshop (5) image 2
Thumbnail of AN EXQUISITE AND RARE PAIR OF MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID BLACK LACQUER BOXES AND COVERS 18th century, inscribed and attributed to the Jiang Qianli Workshop (5) image 3
Thumbnail of AN EXQUISITE AND RARE PAIR OF MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID BLACK LACQUER BOXES AND COVERS 18th century, inscribed and attributed to the Jiang Qianli Workshop (5) image 4
Lot 124
AN EXQUISITE AND RARE PAIR OF MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID BLACK LACQUER BOXES AND COVERS
18th century, inscribed and attributed to the Jiang Qianli Workshop
Amended
Inspired by the Past The An Yu Xuan Collection of Chinese Works of Art
29 May 2023, 11:00 HKT
Hong Kong, Admiralty

Sold for HK$243,200 inc. premium

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AN EXQUISITE AND RARE PAIR OF MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID BLACK LACQUER BOXES AND COVERS

18th century, inscribed and attributed to the Jiang Qianli Workshop
Of ovoid form supported on a short footrim, the exterior surfaces inlaid in a design of three petals filled with various formalised flower diapers radiating from a central point at the peak of the domed cover, a further diaper pattern at the rims, the interiors with two small naturalistic floral sprays against a dark chocolate-brown lacquered ground, the base inlaid with a seal mark, fitted box.
Each 3.7cm (1 1/2in) diam. (5).

Footnotes

十八世紀 漆嵌螺鈿填金幾何紋蛋形蓋盒一對
「千里」款
（配舊盒）

Lacquerwares of this type, bearing the 'Qianli' seal mark are often attributed to the renowned lacquer artist Jiang Qianli who was active during the 17th century. Jiang's distinctive style of mother-of-pearl and golden flake inlay remained popular with later generations and his seal mark continued to be used, indicating high quality workmanship.

A finely inlaid circular box with related geometrical design of mother-of-pearl and golden flakes in the shape of florettes, also with a seal mark of 'Qianli', was included in the exhibition 2000 Years of Chinese Lacquer, Oriental Ceramic Society of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1993, cat.no.97; and another similar box from the Tingsongshuwu collection was included in the Min Chiu Society Silver Jubilee Exhibition Anthology of Chinese Art, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1985, cat.no.240.

Compare also two tiered and lobed rounded boxes, the sides decorated with a similar geometrical pattern of florets, in the Palace Museum collection, Beijing, illustrated in Zhongguo qiqi quanji, vol.6, Fuzhou, 1993, pls.171-172.

江千里，字秋水，揚州人，為明末清初鑲嵌螺鈿名工。喜用小件軟螺鈿鑲嵌器物，作品多以彩色軟螺鈿鑲嵌。此對蓋盒上的全部花紋皆用極其細小的「點、抹、鈎、條」點粘而成，不用殼片，也無划紋，嵌工細緻精到。

參考兩件上海博物館藏十八世紀江千里款漆嵌螺鈿填金幾何紋圓形蓋盒，收錄於《千文萬華：中國歷代漆器藝術》，上海，2018年，編號146；香港藝術館亦曾展出一件聽松書屋舊藏同類紋飾的圓形蓋盒，見《中國文物集珍：敏求精舍銀禧紀念展覽》，香港藝術館，香港，1985年，編號240。兩件同樣飾幾何紋的黑漆嵌螺鈿盒，為北京故宮博物院所藏，見《中國漆器全集》，福州，1993年，卷6，圖版171-172。

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Please note that the lot reads:
AN EXQUISITE AND RARE PAIR OF MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID BLACK LACQUER BOXES AND COVERS Possibly Japan
或日本 漆嵌螺鈿填金幾何紋蛋形蓋盒一對 （配舊盒）

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