A RARE POLYCHROME LACQUER ‘NINE DRAGON’ BOX AND COVER Qing dynasty, Qianlong period

the domed cover deeply carved through red, green and yellow lacquer with a medallion enclosing a large ferocious five-clawed dragon writhing amidst ruyi-head cloud scrolls in pursuit of a flaming pearl, the rounded sides encircled with a continuous broad band of four similar dragons in mutual pursuit of flaming pearls and all within a keyfret band, the box similarly carved around the exterior

This box is remarkable for the distinct polychromy of its design. A much smaller lacquer box carved with similar dragon designs and of Qianlong mark and period is in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Gugong Bowuyuan cang diao qi, Beijing, 1985, pl.316.