Provenance
S. Marchant and Son, London, with their label to the base.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium, acquired from the above in 2007, according to the owner's inventory notes.
Description
The quatrefoil box of shallow rounded form, surmounted by a slightly domed cover, the upper surface painted in rich underglaze blue with a frontal five-clawed dragon emerging amidst scrolling clouds, grasping a flaming pearl above its head. The central medallion is enclosed within a quatrefoil cartouche and surrounded by a continuous border of two striding dragons interspersed with stylised rockwork and ruyi-shaped cloud scrolls. The sides of both the cover and box are similarly decorated with dragons and cloud motifs, all above a key-fret border. The interior is fully glazed, and the recessed base bears a six-character underglaze-blue Wanli reign mark arranged in two vertical columns.
Boxes of this type were produced in a variety of forms during the Wanli period. While some specialised examples, such as the elongated rectangular boxes made to contain folding fans, are preserved in the Changshu Museum, Jiangsu, the precise function of the present form remains uncertain. It has been suggested that boxes of this shape may have served as luxurious containers for gifts of sweetmeats or other delicacies presented at court or on ceremonial occasions.
Reference:
A near-identical box and cover is in the British Museum, London, museum no. 1947,0712.221.a-b. (link)
Lot 31
Wanli mark and of the period
Dim: 15,1 x 13 x 8 cm
Estimation
€ 25.000,00 – € 50.000,00
Provenance
S. Marchant and Son, London, with their label to the base.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium, acquired from the above in 2007, according to the owner's inventory notes.