A ZITAN 'DRAGON' BOX AND COVER QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

of rectangular form, the cover finely carved in low relief with two ferocious five-clawed dragons in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl', their sinuous scaly bodies writhing amid a sea of tempestuous waves emitting foam and spray, the sides of the box and cover similarly decorated with turbulent rolling waves, the wood of a rich deep brown tone 

Apart from an 8mm area of loss to one side at the foot and base and light wear to the base and minute nicks to the cover, the overall condition is very good.
"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."

During the Qianlong emperor's reign great attention was paid to the packaging of the emperor's vast collection of artefacts. According to Qing archives, the packing was frequently inspected by the Emperor himself. As the items were for Imperial use, decorative patterns often included images of the sea, mountains, clouds and dragons, mountains, plants and the character shou. These motifs not only served impressive aesthetic purposes but reflected the supremacy of imperial authority, as well as endowing boxes with auspicious significance. 

While the dragon and waves motif is common to Qing packaging, it is unusual to find carving that runs continuously from the top to the sides on a box of rectangular form, although a cinnabar lacquer box, carved with fabulous sea creatures amidst waves, is illustrated in Zhongguo qiqi quanji, vol. 6, Fuzhou, 1993, pl. 225. It is more common to have a border framing the dragon scene on the top of the cover, as seen on the box sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 29^th October 1995, lot 530; and another sold in these rooms, 22^nd November 1985, lot 531. The continuous carved decoration of dragons pursuing flaming pearls is reminiscent of circular cinnabar lacquer boxes, such as the box carved in a similar style sold in our London rooms, 16^th May 2007, lot 75; and another sold in our New York rooms, 21^st September 2006, lot 66.

The skilful and dynamic style of the carving on the present piece also recalls an inkcake box in the Palace Museum, Beijing, included in the exhibition Qing Legacies: The Sumptuous Art of Imperial Packaging, The Macau Museum of Art, 2000, cat. no. 29.