
Juliette Hammer
Sale Coordinator
This auction has ended. View lot details
Sold for £3,584 inc. premium
Our Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialist
Sale Coordinator

Specialist

Specialist, Chinese Works of Art

Head of Chinese and Asian Art, London
十九世紀 紫檀三層提盒
Tihe such as the present lot were traditionally used in affluent households to present delicate dishes to guests. Additionally, they served as practical containers for travel, offering convenience on journeys. From the Qing dynasty onward, the function of these vessels shifted from portable utility to ornamental items within domestic settings. For further discussion on this type of vessel, see Yan Yu, 'Transforming Rare Curios to Ornamental Display Items: Examining the Shapes, Structure, and Functions of Mountain Travel Cases in the Ming and Qing Dynasties' (從林下珍玩到案上清供——明清遊山提盒的形製與功能), in National Palace Museum Monthly of Chinese Art, 2018.01, pp.80-91.
Compare with a similar zitan picnic box, 18th/19th century, which was sold at Bonhams London, 10 November 2016, lot 129.