A Carved Cinnabar Lacquer Bowlstand Ming Dynasty, 16th Century or Earlier

the hollow globular bowl with rounded sides collared by a circular dish, supported on a hollow flared foot, carved overall with a variety of lush blossoms and attendant buds wreathed in their corresponding foliage, including chrysanthemum, magnolia and camellia around the bowl, peony, chrysanthemum and prunus on the upper side of the dish and a repeat of all six flowers on the underside, all wreathed in lush foliage contained within the ridged rims above further flowers around the foot, the interior lacquered in dark brown

The stand is in overall good condition with some light relacquering to the upper rim. The footring and the interior may have been relacquered. There are two flakes to the brown lacquer on the interior of the globular section (approx 1 and 1.5 cm.), and there are a few small chips inside the rim, but overall the bowlstand is in very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Four carved lacquer bowlstands belonging to this special group of wares, all decorated with a floral motif around the bowl and stand, from the collection of the Tokugawa Art Museum, Nagoya, are illustrated in Karamono. Imported Lacquer – Chinese, Korean and Ryukyuan (Okinawa), Tokyo, 1997, pls. 84-88. See a further bowlstand decorated with two five-clawed dragons on the sides of the bowl and the top of the stand with three dragons, the base bearing a Xuande reign mark, included in the exhibition 2000 Years of Chinese Lacquer, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1993, cat. no. 48, together with two other stands, cat. nos. 46-47, the former carved with a dense floral scroll motif and the latter with flying phoenixes amongst lotus scrolls, however, both stands of a broad petal form as seen here.   

The decoration seen on the present bowlstand is reminiscent of a piece, from the Krolik and Plesch collections, sold in our London rooms, 24^th February 1970, lot 83; and another bowlstand sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29^th May 2007, lot 1555, from a Japanese private collection.

For the inspiration see earlier, Song dynasty, stands of similar shape but generally left undecorated, included in the exhibition So Gen no bi/ The Colors and Forms of Song and Yuan China, Nezu Institute of Fine Arts, Tokyo, 2004, cat. nos. 144-9, 153-4, 156-7.