Provenance
Uno Ranch Collection, Sweden.
S. Marchant & Son, London, with their label to the base.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above on 11 October 2004 and accompanied by a copy of their original invoice. (see added scans)
Exhibited & illustrated:
S. Marchant & Son, London, included in their November 2004 exhibition of 'Ming Blue & White: Jiajing–Chongzhen Including Dated Examples', no. 26 and illustrated in the accompanying catalogue, pp. 38-39. Also illustrated in their 2025 publication 'One Hundred Years', volume 2, p. 94, no. 1149.
Description
Of rectangular form raised on four bracket feet, the domed pierced cover finely painted in underglaze blue with the Bajixiang, the Eight Buddhist Emblems, each borne on lotus blossoms surrounding a central Wheel of the Law amidst scrolling foliage. The decoration is reserved within a twelve-lobed medallion against a dense diaper ground enriched with lingzhi sprays at the corners. The sloping sides of the cover and the body are decorated with confronted pairs of five-clawed dragons pursuing flaming pearls amidst clouds and flames, above bands of stylised scrolling foliage. The base similarly adorned with dragons amidst cloud scrolls, all supported on bracket feet.
The Bajixiang, comprising the Wheel of the Law, Conch Shell, Victory Banner, Parasol, Lotus, Endless Knot, Pair of Fish and Treasure Vase, are among the most important symbols of Tibetan and Chinese Buddhism and became increasingly prominent on imperial porcelains produced during the late sixteenth century.
Reference:
Another pierced dragon box is illustrated in 'Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (II), The Complete Treasures of the Palace Museum', vol. 35, no. 186, p. 200. A further similar example from the collection of J.R.A. Dixey was sold at Sotheby’s, London, 23 May 1972, lot 160. An identical example was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 1 December 2010, lot 3117, for HKD 680,000. Another identical example was sold at Poly Auction, Beijing, 5 December 2012, lot 5585, for RMB 1,058,000 and another at Zeeuws Veilinghuis, The Netherlands, 20 March 2018, lot 204, sold € 58.000,00.
Lot 32
Wanli mark and of the period
Dim: 25,5 x 19,1 x 10 cm
Estimation
€ 25.000,00 – € 50.000,00
Provenance
Uno Ranch Collection, Sweden.
S. Marchant & Son, London, with their label to the base.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above on 11 October 2004 and accompanied by a copy of their original invoice. (see added scans)
Exhibited & illustrated:
S. Marchant & Son, London, included in their November 2004 exhibition of 'Ming Blue & White: Jiajing–Chongzhen Including Dated Examples', no. 26 and illustrated in the accompanying catalogue, pp. 38-39. Also illustrated in their 2025 publication 'One Hundred Years', volume 2, p. 94, no. 1149.